Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team
by Feraligreater328
Summary: Marooned in Beach City, with her parents at a conference and Steven and the Crystal Gems busy on a mission, what is Connie supposed to do? She was looking forward to this sleepover with Steven, and she really doesn't want to go on another trip to a Medical Conference. But, luckily for Connie, Steven and the Crystal Gems aren't the only Gems in town to hang out with.
1. Chapter 1: The Sleepover

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 1: The Sleepover**

Connie waved goodbye to her parents as they quickly piled back into their car and drove away. The young woman shook her head, they were running late for her mother's conference, so they didn't even have time to walk her to Steven's house.

Connie shifted her backpack and her sleeping bag on her back. She was entirely too excited about all of this. A full week spending time with Steven and the Crystal Gems. Who knew what types of adventures she'd be privileged enough to join them on? Connie quickly made her way up the hill to Steven's house and, upon arriving at the door, she politely knocked and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited.

And waited...

And then, after thirty minutes of no response, Connie sighed and after some arguing with herself opened Steven's door and walked into the inky darkness of his unlit home. Connie flicked on the lightswitch and looked around. "Steven? Pearl?...Amethyst?"

No response. No one was home.

Connie looked around Steven's home for any clues as to where her friend had gone. Eventually, after some searching, she found a note from Steven, left stuck to his fridge by a _Crying Breakfast Friends_ magnet.

" _Hey Connie!_

 _Sorry I couldn't be here to meet up with you. Our sleepover might be...a bit derailed by what's going on. Garnet told me that something is agitating the Gem Monsters that we still haven't managed to bubble. So...I'm probably going to be really busy for the next few days. If you just want to go on the trip with your parents...I completely understand._

 _We'll hang out once we have all of this taken care of! :)_

 _But...I left a cupcake for you in the fridge!_

 _-Steven"_

Connie frowned as she neatly set the note down on the counter. "Aw...I was looking forward to this all week..."

Dejected, Connie went into the refrigerator, grabbed the chocolate cupcake Steven had left for her, and left his house, making sure to shut off the lights as she left.

Connie walked down the Beach and sadly ate her cupcake. She didn't want to have to call her parents back to get her. Partly because she didn't want to make her mother late for the conference and partly because she really, _really_ didn't want to go to the conference again this year! It was nothing but doctor's going back and forth and sharing their theories and findings with one another, her father taking advantage of the hotel's fitness center and masseuse, and her not being allowed to do anything but sit in the hotel room and watch cheezy 90s movies.

But, with Steven and the Gems gone, what choice did she have?

Connie sat on the curb of the beach's sidewalk and pulled out her phone. Sighing, she began to dial in her parents number, but stopped short of the last number upon hearing a bell ring behind her. Connie turned to the source of the noise and stared in shock. Emerging from Beach City Groceries, with several bags of food in her hands, was a very familiar orange Gem.

Connie stood up, putting her phone in her pocket, and observed as Jasper quickly began to sprint away, towards the edge of town. Watching the bright orange blur make her way through the streets and into the mountains behind Beach City, an idea formed in Connie's head. She wouldn't be going to that boring conference this time. Connie smiled as she began to walk in the same direction that Jasper had gone. "I almost forgot about the barn..."

 _An hour of walking later..._

Connie gasped for air as she finally finished her trek. She had made it to the barn, finally! But, to her surprise, the barn looked absolutely nothing like it had before. Alongside the changes that Lapis and Peridot had made to it, there were many new changes.

Lights hung from every overhang of the barn, illuminating the entire field, leaving no shadow to hide anything. The field itself was now littered with several things. Three neatly stacked piles of wrecked cars, a large hole filled with filth and debris of all kinds, and countless different examples of "meep-morp" dotted the once empty landscape.

Connie looked over to the side of barn and, to her shock, she saw something she never would have expected. A giant, bored-looking white rhinoceros stood there, tied to a nearby tree with a high quality dog leash. The horned animal grunted and indifferently grazed at the grass in front of it. Connie meekly waved. "H-hello...Mr. Rhino..."

The rhinoceros grunted and curled up on the floor, going to sleep without incident. Connie sighed. "Oh my gosh...this is going to be a weird week..."

Walking up to the door of the barn, Connie sighed upon seeing that, to her confusion, the door had been locked from the inside. Connie knocked on the door, hoping that anyone but Jasper would answer. Waiting a moment and getting no answer, Connie knocked again, this time with more force. She was bluntly answered by Jasper's deep, booming voice. "PUT THE PIZZA'S ON THE LIFT TO YOUR RIGHT, WE'LL SEND THE MONEY BACK DOWN!"

Looking to her right Connie squinted and noticed the lift Jasper spoke of. Made of a wooden palette and a heavy iron chain, it looked exceptionally well made for what it was made of. Climbing onto the palette, Connie gave the chain a quick yank and braced herself. And, almost immediately, the makeshift elevator began to rise.

Rising into the barn, Connie prepared herself for the bare minimum. Peridot and Lapis had done their best to make the old barn liveable, but with what little supplies they had, Connie would've been surprised if they even had-

"OH MY GOSH!"

Connie's eyes widened as she took a good, long look around the barn. It was _drastically_ different from the last time she had seen it. Whereas Lapis and Peridot's barely had a chair and a TV, it was now fully furnished.

Lavish couches filled the main area of the barn. Three of them, all cream white, each took up a wall of the barn. The fourth wall, to her amazement, had a giant, flat screen TV covering it from corner to corner. And, in the middle of all this, a giant leopard print young and at least ten beanbag chairs covered the floor.

Nestled in the upper left loft were several bookshelves, an exquisite reading chair with a massive fishtank behind it, three arcade cabinets, and a full set of lifting weights. Meanwhile, in the upper right loft, a gorgeously built nightstand sat next to two giant, fluffy mattresses, both covered by extremely clean looking bed sheets and a ton pillows, a third of them blue, a third of them green, and a third of them orange.

Connie turned and looked out at the balcony. It was still constructed from an old, beat up truck, but it now had a full gazebo built onto the wall around, with a lovely outside swing and three wicker chairs sitting in the truck bed and on the wooden extensions built around it.

It was clear to Connie as she stepped off the lift, the three Homeworld Gems had gotten busy since she had last seen them. They had not just refitted the barn with all new furnishing, but they had built out too. The old creaky barn was at least twice as big as it had been before. And, upon further inspection, underneath each of the lofts, it appeared as if they had actually constructed seperate rooms.

But, that was enough of taking in the splendor that was surrounding her, Connie needed to find the inhabitants of the barn. She needed to ask permission to crash in the barn while Steven was busy on missions. Connie scanned the entire room for the three boarders of this makeshift palace, eventually locating two of the three of them planted in front of the television.

Jasper turned and yelled back at the newly built kitchen that they had constructed two weeks prior. "Hey! Lapis! Are you in the kitchen?!"

Lapis shouted back. "Yeah! Why?! You need something?!"

Jasper nodded. "Yeah! Bring me that leftover bucket of chicken and two of those 'energy drink' things! And..."

Jasper turned to Peridot, laying on her stomach and playing with her tablet, she sighed. "I want what's left of that tube of cookie dough..."

Jasper turned back to the kitchen. "The runt wants what's left of the cookie dough!"

Peridot grumbled and flicked another severed bird head at the stone castle full of pigs. "Not a runt...giant orange clod..."

Uncaring of the insult, Jasper went back to watching the television. The brutal Homeworld Gem smiled as she watched the show in front of her.

" _IT APPEARS AS IF STONE COLD IS TAKING TO THE TOP ROPE KING! WHO KNOWS WHAT TWISTED THINGS THE RATTLESNAKE MIGHT BE PLANNING UP THERE!"_

Jasper pumped her fist. "Crush him Stone Cold! Jump on his puny chest and crush him flat!"

Peridot grumbled and glared up at the TV screen. "I don't know how you can take this so seriously...the match just started. Clearly, the Rock is going to move out of the way and counter with a move of his own..."

Jasper sneered at Peridot. "You don't know that."

" _OH MAH GAWD KING! THE ROCK MOVED OUT OF THE WAY AT THE LAST SECOND AND **BAH-GAWD!** A MASSIVE CLOTHESLINE FROM THE ROCK HAS TAKEN STONE COLD OFF HIS FEET!"_

" _THAT'S RIGHT JR! THAT'S WHY WE EVERYONE HERE SHOULD BE TAKING NOTES ON THE ROCK!_ "

Jasper blushed as Peridot grinned from ear-to-ear. "Told you so!"

The gloating was quickly broken up by Lapis returning to the group, plopping down onto her beanbag chair and throwing Jasper her energy drinks and chicken and Peridot her cookie dough. Lapis blew on her hot tea to cool it and took a sip. "What'd I miss?! Did he use the Stunner yet?!"

Jasper shook her head as she shoveled chicken into her mouth. "Not yet."

Peridot shrugged. "He won't use it until the crowd it sufficiently amped up..."

As the three Homeworld Gems continued to watch the wrestling match on their TV, none of them noticed the small human approaching them from behind. Jasper cleared her throat. "Oh, by the way, I think the pizza's arrived."

Connie quickly interjected. "Sorry. But...I'm not the pizza guy..."

Shocked at the sudden, unexpected voice in their home, the three Homeworld Gems all quickly turned to see Connie standing there, nervously waving at them. Jasper summoned her Crash Helmet. "WHO ARE YOU?! HOW DARE YOU ENTER OUR HOME?!"

Lapis and Peridot both got inbetween the orange brute and the human girl. Lapis shook her head. "It's just one of Steven's friends Jasper. She's not a threat."

Peridot nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Connie is fine!"

Jasper shook her head and dispelled her Crash Helmet. "Whatever."

As the Quartz Gem sat back down and continued to watch her show, Lapis and Peridot turned to Connie. Peridot was all smiles. "So, what brings you here Connie? It's pretty late for you humans, right?"

Lapis' looked confused. "And our home isn't exactly in the way of anything...you couldn't have ended up out here on accident."

Peridot nodded. "And you couldn't have taken the Warp Pad seeing as Jasper's dumb pet smashed it..."

Jasper growled under her breath. "Stabber was only trying to play fetch..."

Lapis shook her head. "Whatever. What brings you out this way Connie?"

Connie twiddled her fingers. "Um...it's kind of a long story..."

Lapis and Peridot (and Jasper, although she was pretending not to pay attention) listened as Connie explained what had happened and what had led to her hoofing it all the way out to the barn. Lapis sighed and took a sip of her tea. "So...you just need a place to stay so that you can avoid this 'boring conference'?"

Connie silently nodded. In the back of her mind, she was panicking. What if they said no? He parents were probably half way to the conference already. If she called them back now, her Mom would definitely miss her address to the other doctors. She couldn't do that to her Mom, but-

"Of course you can!"

Connie flinched back. She looked at Peridot's giant, toothy grin and Lapis' more subdued smile. Lapis nodded. "Of course you can stay. Any friend of Steven...short of the Crystal Gems...is welcome to stay here as long as they want."

Connie smiled. "And you're all okay with this?"

Lapis quickly turned her attention to the third tennant of the barn. "Hey, Jasper, you cool?"

Jasper grunted and chugged one of her drinks. "Whatever. You guys are missing that match!"

Lapis and Peridot both jumped. Despite their detachment, they didn't want to miss who won this one. Lapis immediately jumped back into her beanbag chair with Peridot following quickly behind. "C'mon Connie! Watch wrestling with us!"

Connie raised an eyebrow. "Wrestling...that sounds like something Amethyst would enjoy..."

 _Later that night..._

Connie laughed out loud as she accompanied the Homeworld Gems upstairs in the aptly named "bed loft". "Wow! Who would've guessed that two men jumping around and faking hitting one another could be so fun to watch?!"

Lapis smirked and stepped up onto her part of the bed, nestling down and curling up underneath her blue, down comforter. "Yeah...it's pretty fun to watch when you get into it _..."_

Connie pulled her sleeping bag from her backpack. "How did you guys get all this stuff anyway?"

Peridot quickly slipped on her footy pajamas and collapsed onto her pillow. "It all fell off a truck..."

Connie's eyes widened. "You mean that you _stole_ it?!"

Jasper sank her fist into pillow and collapsed face-first into it. "No...it fell off a truck..."

 _Two weeks earlier..._

 _Peridot scowled in annoyance as Lapis and Jasper both took a new position. Standing inbetween her two compatriots, the Green Gem had no means of escaping this new pain in the neck. "So...you borrow a book from Steven's father-thing about this...this..."_

 _Lapis took a deep breath and released it. "Tai Chi, Peridot. It's called Tai Chi. And it's supposed to promote discipline and inner peace. We're doing this because you, Jasper, and I could all use a nice, safe way to relieve stress..."_

 _Peridot grumbled as she assumed the new position. Lapis faintly smiled. "Oh...and Jasper..."_

 _Jasper grumbled, her concentration interrupted. "What?!"_

 _Lapis snickered to herself. "You're standing in the middle of the road."_

 _Jasper shrugged. "What does that have to do with any-"_

 _Suddenly, to Peridot's surprise and Lapis' amusement, a large truck collided with Jasper, crashing into the large, orange Quartz. Lapis and Peridot both relaxed and walked over to where Jasper was standing, grinning like idiots at the sight of the front of the truck wrapped around Jasper's unshifted form. Jasper grunted as her eyes slowly cracked open. "You had me stand there on purpose..."_

 _Lapis smiled at Jasper, her face betraying only enjoyment of the Quartz' situation. "Uh-huh!"_

 _Back in the present..._

Connie stared incredulously. "So...you got hit by a truck...and then stole everything out of it?"

Jasper grunted. "No. We had a very calm, very civil-"

Lapis yawned. "Jasper threatened to shatter the guy driving if he ever came back. He ran way screaming at the top of his voice..."

Connie was still confused. "But why would a random truck have all of this nice stuff in it?"

Peridot grumbled. "Who knows? But...at least we used every part of the truck. We even used it's side to patch a hole Jasper made in the roof..."

Peridot pointed upwards. Connie followed the trajectory of her finger and found the answer to her question. Patching up the hole in the roof was a large, metal sheet with the words **"JOHNSON'S FINE REPO SERVICE"** written on the side. Connie shrugged and wiggled her way into her sleeping bag. "That explains it..."

And then, everything fell quiet. For a moment, there was no sound. Barring the continuous chirping of the crickets. All the lights inside and outside the barn had been quelled, Jasper's pet rhino was comfortably sleeping under a tree, everything was peaceful. And then, Lapis' voice pierced the quiet. "Why are you sleeping on the floor?"

Connie sat up. "Well I have a sleeping bag and-"

Lapis interrupted her. "Nonsense. Our bed is big enough for one more..."

Lapis sat up and put her foot up against Peridot's pillow and face. And then, with a quick push, Lapis shoved the grumbling, Green Gem closer to Jasper. "Here...sleep inbetween me and Peridot..."

Graciously, Connie crawled up the mattress, borrowing a spare pillow from Lapis and using her sleeping bag as a makeshift blanket. "Thanks Lapis..."

Lapis nodded. "Uh-huh...g'night..."

Connie smiled as her eyes slowly drifted shut. "Yeah...g'night..."

As Connie Maheswaran fell into her slumber, she smiled. Despite getting off to a rocky start, perhaps this sleepover wouldn't be such a disaster after all.


	2. Chapter 2: A Day at the Beach

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 2: A Day at the Beach**

Connie let loose a contented yawn as she soared through the air. Minus Jasper's giant arm finding itself draped over her near 3 am, her night's sleep was surprisingly peaceful. And now, she was getting a pretty nice view of Beach City and the ocean from her spot on Lapis' back.

Lapis, meanwhile, was busy policing the two bickering Gems she was holding in her hands. "PERIDOT! CALM DOWN! JASPER! I SWEAR I'LL DROP YOU!"

Connie leaned over, whispering into Lapis' ear. "Are you okay to fly with them swiping at one another?"

Lapis raggedly sighed. "I'm cool. I've dealt with worse while trying to fly than these two..."

After another few moments, Lapis landed, dropping Peridot and Jasper to the concrete below and allowing Connie to step off of her back. Lapis stretched her shoulders. "So, you're going to go sleep at Steven's house tonight, right?"

Connie adjusted her backpack. "Yeah. I'm hoping that I can go on some adventures with the Gems and just get to hang out with Steven for a bit. But, thank you for letting me sleepover last night Lapis. You too Peridot...and thank you too Jasper..."

Lapis smiled and nodded. Peridot chuckled. "Of course! You're welcome up at our awesome house any time you'd like to come!"

Jasper glared back at Connie and silently nodded. And then, the giant Quartz began making her way over to the Big Donut.

Connie waved bye to the three Homeworld Gems and began to make her way down the beach towards Steven's house.

 _At Steven's house..._

Connie knocked at the door to Steven's house and waited. This time, she didn't stand there for half an hour. After 10 minutes, Connie opened the door and strolled into Steven's house, calling out to him. "Steven? Steven?!"

Connie groaned. She didn't want this to happen again. Cringing, she looked up at the fridge and saw, to her horror, another handwritten note. Connie shuffled up to the fridge, moved the _Sniffling Croissant_ magnet, and read what her friend had wrote.

" _Hey Connie..._

 _I saw that you ate the cupcake that I left you. I hope you enjoyed it. :)_

 _I'm sorry...I know I promised that we'd have this entire week to spend together and have fun. But, as soon as we got back from the mission last night, we had to go right out on another one._

 _I'm sorry I keep blowing you off, but something is out there messing with the Corrupted Gems. They're becoming a lot more hostile towards humans for some reason..._

 _I don't know. I feel bad. If you haven't gone off with your parents, write me a note back and let me know. And then, I'll let you know when we finally have all of this settled._

 _Again, I'm so sorry. :(_

 _\- Steven_

 _P.S. Sorry I couldn't just text you, the Gem-i-pillar that we fought stepped on my phone."_

Connie sighed and slumped over. "Oh man..."

Reaching for the pen that Steven had left on the counter, Connie flipped over his note and thought of what to write. She didn't want to stay here, in his house, all be herself. So, thinking for a moment, she jotted down a quick response.

" _Hey Steven..._

 _I'm up at the Barn with Lapis, Peridot, and Jasper._

 _I don't know if you know, but Jasper's pet broke the Warp Pad._

 _I'll see you when you're done with your missions._

 _Connie"_

After sticking the note back onto the fridge, Connie sighed and left the house again, more dejected that she was the first time. As much as she didn't want to do it, she was probably going to be forced to intrude on the other three's privacy. Again.

Before getting ready to make the trek back to the Barn, Connie decided it would probably be best if she got herself some breakfast first. Seeing the Big Donut, Connie shrugged and pulled out her emergency credit card. "Well...I guess hunger is kind of an emergency..."

Connie walked into the Big Donut. But, to her surprise, she wasn't the only one there. She stared in confusion as Lapis, Peridot, and Jasper stared back at her, powdered sugar from the donut's they were eating surrounding each of their mouths. Connie cocked her head and spoke. "Uh...hi...?"

Peridot swallowed and responded. "Hi Connie. Was Steven home?"

Connie shook her head. "No...he wasn't..."

After a moment of silence, Connie posed a question. "I was confused last night...but now I'm even more confused. Why are the three of you eating? I mean...I know Amethyst does it but...I didn't think that Gems needed to eat..."

Jasper swallowed her mouthful of donut and chugged half a pot of coffee. "Just because we don't have to eat doesn't mean we don't want to. And...honestly, we don't really have anything better to do with our time..."

Lapis, still eating, summoned a small water hand from her back and pulled out the fourth chair at the table they were sitting at. "Come sit with us Connie. We'll buy you some donuts."

Connie sat, now more confused than ever. She watched as Lapis summoned Sadie over and asked her to bring another box of donuts. Sadie happily complied and graciously accepted the $500 tip that Lapis slid her.

Connie reached into the box, picking out a sprinkle donut and gradually eating it. After a few bites, she asked another question. "Not to pry...but where did the three of you get all of this money? None of you have jobs, right? So..."

Jasper snickered. "Of course we don't have jobs. We're Gems, we don't need to take part in human labor to get what we want!"

Peridot ate another chocolate glaze in two bites, and then she smiled. "The truck that had all of our new stuff in it had a safe in it! Jasper smashed it opened with her head and it was full of _human money_!"

Lapis sipped her tea. "It was also full of a lot shiny, gold stuff. And a few diamonds. We used them to create meep-morp. Except the pink diamond that was in there, Jasper keeps _that_ under her pillow."

Jasper sneered at Lapis as the calm, blue Gem sipped her tea. "Hey! Shut up..."

Peridot grinned a giant, cat smile. "There was a yellow diamond in there too. I flushed it down our toilet that Lapis and Jasper installed! It felt so good!"

Lapis motioned for Sadie to bring her another tea bag. "There was a white diamond and a blue diamond in the safe too. We didn't quite know what to do with them, so we just set them aside for now."

Connie nodded as she finished her donut. "Okay. Cool. So...uh...I don't have anything else to do. What are you guys planning on doing with your day?"

Peridot finished her glass of milk and let loose a small belch. "Jasper has never been to Beach City Funland before, so we're taking her there to see if she likes human amusement parks!"

Lapis crossed her arms and laughed under her breath. "This is going to be interesting to watch..."

Connie accompanied the three Homeworld Gems on their trip to the amusement park. She followed them closely behind as the walked under the welcome sign and right into Mr. Smiley. Peridot grunted as she glared up at the washed-up, former celebrity. Mr. Smiley glared back down at her. "Well well well...if it isn't the green shorty! You might've tricked me with the help of your blue friend the last time, but don't think you'll trick 'ol Mr. Smiley again! Guess you'll just have to wait until your short behind grows to ride anything again..."

Peridot raised an annoyed eyebrow up at the condescending carnival barker. Her response was one word. "Jasper."

Jasper grabbed Smiley by the scruff of his shirt, pulling him off the ground, up to her face, and sneered at him. "You calling my subordinate short?!"

Peridot frowned. "Hey! I'm _not_ your subordinate!"

Jasper ignored her and shook Mr. Smiley. "You're going to let my friend ride, and you're going to shut your mouth, or I'll toss you into the stratosphere! Understood?!"

Mr. Smiley rapidly shook his head. "Of course! Of course! Why didn't you just say how physically threatening you are?! Green girl, you have a lifetime exception to the height rule here at Funland! Forever!"

Jasper, satisfied with the answer, dropped Smiley on his butt and walked past him. Confident and victorious, Peridot practically strutted by Mr. Smiley making sure to shake her butt right in his face as she walked by. Lapis buried her face in her hands in shame, urging Connie not to make eye contact with Smiley as they both walked by him.

For the next two hours, Lapis and Peridot dragged Connie and Jasper into and onto every attraction at Funland, making sure to pick up pictures of themselves enjoying the rides as they got off. Over the course of the two hours, they rode _the Appalachian_ , _the Ferris Wheel_ , _the Swing Ride_ , _the Teacups_ , _the Thunder Bird Coaster_ , and the brand new _Spinemelter_.

In between riding these, they also went into the house of mirrors, used Peridot to cheat at the ring toss, and had a small snack at _Wiener in Hand_.

Finally, taking a break before they made the trip, the four of them look through the pictures that had been snapped of them on the rides. They were all basically the same thing. Lapis looked to be quietly enjoying herself, Connie was having a blast, Jasper looked thoroughly bored, and Peridot looked absolutely terrified...at she held on to the bar, trying not to fly out of the car that she was too small to be in.

Peridot raggedly sighed. "Maybe...maybe I shouldn't have had you threaten him like that...that was terrifying..."

Jasper grunted. "Terrifying? That was dull. I could run faster than most of these forms of 'human entertainment'! I thought when you said that I would be coming with you to an amusement park, you meant that I would get to amuse myself!"

Lapis' voice was positively dripping in sarcasm. "What...didn't have fun?"

Jasper shook her head. "Of course I didn't! You said this was an _AMUSEMENT_ park! So were was the _amusement_?! Where was the _action_?! Where were the _fights_?!"

Jasper was quickly answered by a solid thud, followed by the sound of cracking rocks. Jasper and Lapis both stood, startled by the noise. And then, without a word, Jasper went running in the direction of the sound. Connie, looking worried, turned to Lapis. "What do you think is going on?"

Lapis sighed, grabbing Peridot and Connie and forming her water wings. "I think she just found a fight..."

Flying high into the sky, Peridot, Connie, and Lapis scanned the ground looking for their bright orange compatriot. Peridot grumbled. "For how much her hue makes her stand out, you wouldn't expect her to be so hard to pick out from a distance..."

Lapis shook her head. "Well, from a distance, most of Beach City is sandy white. I imagine that Jasper would be pretty hard to notice behind that giant shock of hair hanging over her shoulders."

Lapis looked down at Connie, dangling from her right hand. "You see anything Connie?"

Connie squinted as she scanned up and down the streets of Beach City, even taking time to examine the ocean and the beach. "I don't see anything. But Jasper does move pretty fast..."

Peridot nodded. "Yeah...who knows how far she-"

Peridot was quickly interrupted by Jasper colliding into her, Connie, and Lapis, very quickly sending all four of them plummeting from the sky. Regaining her focus, Lapis barely managed to reform her wings and grab Connie from the air before she collided with the ground.

Meanwhile, Jasper and Peridot hit the ground hard, leaving Jasper and Peridot shaped craters in the asphault of the Big Donut's parking lot. Grumbling, Peridot dragged herself out of the ground and complained. "Ugh...you couldn't have tried to catch me too?"

Lapis shrugged, offering Peridot a helping hand. "I had to catch Connie. You won't shatter if you hit the ground, but she _will splatter_ if she does..."

Peridot pulled herself to her feet and stretched her back. "Fair enough..."

Whilst Peridot and Lapis talked to one another, Connie shuffled over to the hole Jasper was laying in. "Hey...are you okay Jasper?"

Immediately, Jasper's arm shot out of the ground. The brutish Quartz wasted no time in exhuming herself from the crater that she had made and very quickly summoned her Crash Helmet. As Jasper ran off again, rounding the bluff that led to Steven's house a calling out to her attacker. "CHEAP SHOT THROWING PIECE OF JUNK!"

Connie turned to Lapis and Peridot, both of whom looked confused and a bit worried. "Guys?"

Lapis groaned and summonded two giant fists made of water. "This is probably going to be annoying..."

Peridot used her ferrokinesis to pull a hubcap from a nearby car. "We...we had better go help her with whatever is going on..."

Connie nodded at Lapis and Peridot and, without a moment's hesitation, the three of them quickly followed after Jasper to fight whatever monster was around the bluff.

As the three of them rounded the beach, headed for Steven's house, none of them knew what to expect. Peridot turned and shouted warnings at the other two. "We need to be careful you two! No matter what we think of Jasper, she's a trained soldier. If this thing is giving her trouble, then we need to be-"

"PERIDOT DUCK!"

Almost immediately obeying the command levied at her, Peridot hit the ground as a near unseen weapon sailed over her, very quickly sticking into the ground. Peridot leaned forward and grabbed the errant weapon that had nearly hit her: an incredibly sharp chisel.

Peridot quickly turned and looked at the thing that Jasper was fighting. She, Lapis, and Connie were all expecting some variety of Gem Monster, but this was no corruption. It was a machine. Large and Powerful. Large mandible claws meant for crushing sat at the end of its skinny, manueverable arms. Several small cannons, each loaded with more chisels, lined its body. On top of it's body, it had a giant, three-eyed helm that was staring directly down at the infuriated Jasper.

Lapis stepped back in trepidation. Confused, Connie posed the question. "What is that thing?"

As Jasper charged, her head enveloped in her Crash Helmet, Peridot shivered. "By the Diamonds...it's a Shatter Machine!"


	3. Chapter 3: The Shatter Machine

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 3: The Shatter Machine**

Doing her spin attack, Jasper shot forth at the Shatter Machine, knocking it back and nearly knocking it over. The brutish Quartz landed on Steven's porch and began her spin again, launching herself at the Shatter Machine once more. However, this time, Jasper was caught midair and summarily flung into the ocean.

Lapis shook her head. "Darn it. I'm coming Jasper..."

Jasper screamed back at her. "I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP!"

Jasper came erupting from the ocean, flying face first at the Shatter Machine. But, the machine was ready for this and, lining up one of its cannons, it fired a chisel directly at the center of Jasper's face. Unable to stop her momentum, Jasper gasped in horror as the deadly tool zipped directly towards her face. She braced herself to be seriously injured but, at the last moment, she and the chisel were both stopped.

Jasper was brought to a halt by a gigantic wall of water, the chisel just halted to a stop midair. The Shatter Machine and Jasper both turned to see Peridot and Lapis using their powers to keep the two of them seperated. And then, very quickly, Lapis had her water fling Jasper towards her, while Peridot harmlessly dropped the chisel to the ground.

Connie, meanwhile, was watching in awe as the Homeworld Gems regrouped. The last time she had seen these three, Peridot was unskilled in combat, Lapis didn't care, and Jasper was a bad guy. But, now, they were using their powers in conjunction to assist one another. They were almost acting like a second team of Crystal Gems. It was almost inspiring to see how far they had come along.

And then Jasper started yelling.

"I TOLD YOU TWO THAT I DON'T NEED ANY HELP!"

Lapis sneered at Jasper, her benign expression melting into one of annoyance and rage. "Oh yeah?! Well that wasn't what I saw! From my point of view, you looked like you were about to get stabbed!"

Lapis formed a third limb out of water and stretched it up to Jasper's face. "Right in your stupid, meathead Gem!"

Jasper's eyes narrowed, her lips curled up into a snarl of pure rage. "I'm a proud Quartz soldier! I'm the Ultimate Quartz! Do I look like I need help from...from...a _deformed, useless runt and a decoration?!_ "

Peridot gasped and shrank back, clearly hurt. Lapis' pupils shrank. And then, in a flash, she backhanded Jasper across the face with a hand encased in ice. "HOW _DARE_ YOU?!"

Jasper's eyes widened. And then, she reached out and wrapped her around Lapis' neck. "How dare _you_ strike _me_?!"

Peridot and Connie, both observing Jasper and Lapis fight, looked past them and recoiled in terror. Peridot meekly squeaked out. "Lapis...Jasper..."

Lapis ignored Peridot, her eyes narrowing. And then, she summonded several water tendrils, snaking them around Jasper's arm and fingers and prying her hand off of her neck. "You...HOW DARE YOU CALL US THAT?! Peridot isn't deformed or useless...AND I'M NOT A DECORATION! NOT HERE!"

Lapis, enraged, pulled a massive column of water from the ocean. Jasper sneered. "What is that supposed to scare me?!"

Connie whisper yelled at the two arguing Gems. "Guys..."

Lapis clenched her teeth and her fist, making the column of water explode. "WE LET YOU INTO OUR HOME! DESPITE EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE DONE, DESPITE EVERY FIBER OF MY BEING SCREAMING THAT IT WAS A BAD IDEA...we let you be with us...we let you join us out there in our own little space after Steven healed you...despite everything that you had done, every threat you made our way...we let you in..."

Jasper grunted and crossed her arms. "And?!"

Lapis cracked. "AND WE WERE IDIOTS FOR DOING IT! YOU DON'T CARE ABOUT US! WE TRY TO HELP YOU AND TRY TO BEFRIEND YOU AND YOU REFUSE TO CHANGE! I SHOULD'VE SIDED WITH THE GEMS AND LET THEM POOF AND BUBBLE YOU, YOU UNGRATEFUL B-"

Peridot cried out. "Listen to us you clods!"

Jasper and Lapis both turned to Peridot. Pure rage streaked across their faces, they both yelled at Peridot. "WHAT?!"

Peridot yelled right back at them. "WHILE YOU WERE ARGUING LIKE CHILDREN IT DEPLOYED IT'S DRILLS!"

Lapis and Jasper's faces both instantly washed of anger that was quickly replaced with confusion. "What...?"

And then, to their collective surprise, the Shatter Machine sprang into action. The massive Gem crusher swung it's drills at Jasper and Lapis. The two Gems both quickly reacted, Lapis using her water and Jasper using her bare hands, and they grabbed the drills.

The implements of destruction spun hot in Jasper and Lapis' grasps. The two Gems tried to hold out, but they were eventually overwhelmed as the drills pulled them off their feet and began to spin them around. Having it's prey were it wanted them to be, the Shatter Machine pulled it's next big move. Yanking it's arms outward, the automaton flung Jasper and Lapis, throwing Lapis far out into the ocean and smashing Jasper into the nearby bluff.

Peridot gasped and, metaphorically, all of the color drained from her face. Thinking fast, the green Gem grabbed Connie by the wrist and quickly retreated into Steven's house. Not willing to stop, she pulled Connie into the bathroom and slammed the door behind them.

Connie and Peridot both remained quiet. Outside, they heard the Shatter Machine squeaking and popping as it moved about. They heard it's joints compressing and decompressing as it walked around, searching for moved prey to fight and attempt to shatter. Connie sighed in relief and leaned against the bathroom sink as she heard the Shatter Machine's clattering get quieter and quieter. "Man...that thing doesn't sound like it's in good shape..."

Peridot's mouth was dry. She cleared her throat and spoke. "Yes. I...I imagine that it's pretty old. The last Shatter Machine's that Homeworld sent to Earth were from before they decided to implement the Cluster. How that thing is still functional is beyond me..."

Connie glanced over at Peridot and saw that the smart Gem was extremely flustered. "Are you okay?"

Peridot sighed and shook her head. "They were doing so well. They bickered and snapped at one another every now and again...but I thought that they were getting over their troubles. But...what was the metaphor that I heard Pearl say...it only takes a little pressure to make a cracked Gem break...?"

Connie felt a lump in her throat forming as she saw Peridot tearing up. "Peridot...?"

Peridot shook her head. "I like what we have going on out at the Barn. Lapis and Jasper can both be pretty stiff sometimes...but, when the three of us are together...I feel like I have my own Gem team. And now..."

Peridot gasped. "WE LEFT THEM OUT THERE WITH A SHATTER MACHINE!"

Peridot stood up with a bolt, not caring that she had smashed her head against the shelf above the toilet. "We have to get out there and help them before they get shattered!"

Connie's eyes widened, she ran her hand through her hair and cried out. "But...we can't fight that thing! I'm still an apprentice swordsman! And you don't even have a weapon!"

Peridot grabbed Connie by her shoulders and shook her as hard as she could. "THIS IS NO TIME FOR YOU TO BE RIGHT! LAPIS AND JASPER COULD BE IN SERIOUS TROUBLE, WE NEED TO HELP THEM!"

Connie took a deep breath and calmed herself. "Okay...you're right. But we shouldn't just head out there and get ourselves killed Peridot. We need to think of a plan before we rush in..."

Peridot nodded. "Right..."

After a moment of silence, Connie and Peridot both turned to one another, their faces blank. They had nothing. Connie shook her head. "We...we have the advantage that it's old."

Peridot agreed. "Yes. It is ancient. Perhaps we could use that to our advantage...?"

Connie smirked. "Yeah. Yeah we could. It's armor is so rusty that, were I able to damage it enough, you could rip it off with your ferrokinesis..."

Peridot shook her head. "I doubt you have a weapon strong enough to damage that thing, even with it being as old as it is. It was meant to be a war machine when it arrived...it's built to be tough..."

Connie nodded and frowned. "Yeah...I bet it is. It's too bad that we don't have a weapons that can...cut...anything..."

Connie's eyes widened and she turned to Peridot. Peridot flinched. "What is it?"

Connie quickly perked up, a confident smile spreading across her face. "We're hiding out in Steven's house. We might just have the perfect weapon to deal with that thing!"

 _A long while ago..._

 _Jasper sat on the floor of Steven's home, tighly bound with Smokey Quartz' Yo-Yo weapons. She held her eyes tightly closed, she was ready to accept whatever fate the Crystal Gems had planned for her._

 _What she wasn't expecting though, were the people who came to her defense. Although she appeared to be completely inert, Jasper listened intently as the last to people she had expected spoke on her behalf._

" _The two of us could handle her it she got out of hand."_

 _Garnet stroked her chin in thought. "I don't know..."_

 _Lapis stood in front of Garnet, her arms crossed, standing firm by her statement. "Trust me...we can handle it."_

 _Lapis was immediately followed up by Peridot. "C'mon Garnet! You have that Future Vision thing that you do! Surely you can see all of the futures where Lapis and I handle Jasper if she gets out of hand!"_

 _Garnet nodded. "I do indeed."_

 _Peridot smiled wide. "See? Even your Future Vision-"_

 _Garnet interrupted. "I also see an equal number of futures where she overwhelms the both of you..."_

 _Peridot shied back. Lapis stood firm. "We can handle it. She's not corrupted anymore. She deserves the chance to try to change just like everyone else does. You have a much right to keep her prisoner as you do to keep someone locked away in a mirror."_

 _Pearl scowled. "I don't appreciate that tone. We didn't know that you were trapped in that mirror. We-"_

 _Lapis sniped back at Pearl. "...never bothered to check."_

 _Garnet remained stoic in the face of the impending argument. But, rather than get into with Lapis, she turned back and looked at Jasper and Smokey Quartz. Jasper remained sullen and silent, but Smokey looked positively bummed. They wanted to poof the Homeworld Quartz about as much as Lapis and Peridot did._

 _Garnet sighed and removed her shades to massage the bridge of her nose."Okay. You win..."_

 _Pearl flinched. "What?!"_

 _Garnet put her shades back on. "We were willing to give Peridot a chance when, to be honest, she didn't really deserve one. We should offer the same to Jasper."_

 _Garnet turned to Jasper. "What do you say Jasper?"_

 _Jasper grunted at Garnet. "I don't care what you Crystal Gems decide. Do whatever you want to do..."_

 _Garnet turned back to Lapis and Peridot. "Then it's settled. I'm leaving it up to you two to keep an eye on her. So, I'll ask one more time. Do you think you can handle it?"_

 _Lapis frowned and stared at her bound, former Fusion partner. "I'm willing to vouch for her. She can be redeemed. And, until she is, I'll keep a close eye on her."_

 _Back in the present..._

As Jasper slowly pushed herself back up, she recalled what Lapis had done for her. In spite of everything that had occurred between them, Lapis put herself on the line for Jasper. The Homeworld Gem got to her feet and shook her head. "Worthless sentiment..."

And then, she heard it. She recognized the creaking and buzzing of the gears and joints of the Shatter Machine as it slowly approached her. Jasper flipped her head back, throwing her hair from her face and glared up at the Shatter Machine. "Ready for Round-"

Jasper gasped as she looked up at the Shatter Machine. The metallic monstrosity stared down at her, all but one of its deadly limbs ready to attack. But, in that busy limb, the Shatter Machine held Lapis. And its mandible claw was positioned directly over her Gem. Jasper clenched her teeth and summoned forth her Crash Helmet. "Put her down!"

The Shatter Machine didn't make a noise in response. It extended it's arm out, the joints dripping with water, and began to squeeze. Jasper watched on, horror reflected in her eyes, as the Shatter Machine increased pressure on Lapis. It was going to crush her Gem!

Lapis screamed at the top of her voice. She was in horrible pain, The Shatter Machine pointed all of it's remaining weapons at Jasper as it squeezed tighter and tighter on poor Lapis' back. Jasper screamed at the Shatter Machine, taking a step forward. "PUT HER DOWN NOW!"

The Shatter Machine didn't respond, rather it chose to take a step forward. Finally, Jasper screamed. "I SAID PUT HER DOWN NOW!"

Jasper rolled into a Spin Attack and shot forward, head first, at the Shatter Machine. She didn't care that the thing was built specifically to kill rebellious Gems. She didn't care that he biggest weak spot was dead center on her face. She just didn't want that thing to shatter Lapis. She didn't want it to shatter _her_ Lapis!

Jasper charged forth. The Shatter Machine responded by firing a single chisel cannon, shooting a chisel directly into Jasper's shoulder. Jasper tumbled to the ground, pressing her hand over this breach in her physical form. She couldn't be poof now. She had to hold it together.

The Shatter Machine stepped forth and finally spoke up. It's computers locking onto the Gem of it's latest opponent, it called out. " **TARGET ACQUIRED.** "

Jasper snarled back at it. "DO YOU THINK I'M SCARED OF YOU, YOU INSOLENT RELIC?! I'M THE ULTIMATE QUARTZ! THE BEST TO EVER BE CREATED! I'M THE SUPER WEAPON THAT THEY REPLACED YOU WITH!"

Jasper cringed as the Shatter Machine squeezed even harder on Lapis' back. The orange Gem reached up to her shoulder and grabbed the handle of the chisel. "And...no matter how intimidating you think you are...YOU DON'T SCARE M-"

Suddenly, interrupting Jasper's speech, Connie cried out. "Jasper! Don't pull out that chisel!"

This caught Jasper off guard. "Wait, what?"

The Ultimate Quartz' question was immediately answered by Connie and Peridot jumping from nowhere. Connie immediately ran a circle around the Shatter Machine, making her way to it's back and distracting it. And, in this instant, Peridot got to work.

Using her ferrokinesis, the green Gem hefted Jasper into the air, shooting the Quartz a sly wink. Jasper, in response, smiled a knowing smirk and allowed Peridot to do her work. Rearing back, Peridot winded up and, with all her strength, threw Jasper at the Shatter Machine's head.

Jasper called out to the machine, pulling the attention back to herself just in time to crash through the Shatter Machine's visor, destroying it's eyes. Jasper laughed like a madman as she pulled handfuls of wire from the automatons face. "Is your target acquired now?!"

As Jasper assaulted the Shatter Machine's face, Connie quickly sprang into action. Reaching behind her, she produced the ultimate weapon, the Sword of Rose Quartz, from the scabbard strapped to her back. And then, with a mighty swing, Connie sliced through the Shatter Machine's claw arm, releasing Lapis from the continued torture.

Lapis hit the ground with a thud and was immediately tended to by Peridot and Connie. Peridot gently massaged Lapis' gem. "Are you okay?"

Lapis grunted. "I'm fine."

Connie nodded. "Good. We could use your help! I have an idea to stop that thing."

Lapis quickly made her way to her feet. "I'm all ears. What do you need me to do?"

Connie pointed to the Shatter Machine's leaking joints. "That thing pursued you all the way out into the middle of the ocean. That means that it's old, worn joints are most likely filled with water right now. If you could freeze that water-"

Lapis, utterly furious, held up her hand. "I get the picture."

Connie smiled and nodded. "Good. Peridot, be ready!"

Peridot nodded. "Yes ma'am!"

Connie turned, leaving Lapis to concentrate and Peridot to prepare, and ran back to the Shatter Machine. The young girl, sword drawn, called out to Jasper. "JASPER!"

Jasper took a break from her destruction to turn and see the human girl, armed with Rose's Sword, running straight at her and the Shatter Machine. Connie barked orders at Jasper as she jumped up onto the Shatter Machine. "HELP ME SMASH THIS THINGS ARMOR!"

Jasper jumped down to Connie's level and complied, using her fists as Connie used her sword to smash into the Shatter Machine's plate armor, denting and crumbling and cracking it to where it barely stayed on. And then, as they moved to the next spot of armor, Peridot used her ferrokinesis to rip off the armor plating.

Connie grinned as she and Jasper went to work. "Peridot told me all about how these things are built. If we get this armor off, this we can smash this thing's power core and deactivate it."

Jasper nodded and plunged her fingers into a sheet of rusty metal. "Sounds like a decent plan. But what about the limbs?!"

Connie smiled wide. "Don't you worry about that! I came up with a plan on the fly!"

And suddenly, as the Shatter Machine was about to strike down Connie and Jasper with its drills, all of the metal behemoth's limbs, its arms and its legs, froze in place. And then, after another moment, all of its joints burst as the water lodged in them spontaneously froze and expanded. As the Shatter Machine's limbs fell to the ground, Lapis stared at it with utter hate. "You should have never followed me into the ocean!"

With those threats removed, and only facing the danger of easily breakable chisel cannons, Jasper and Connie swarmed the Shatter Machine, bashing and smashing armor until they finally revealed it: The Core.

The Gem and the Human, satisfied with their work, leapt from what was left of the tottering, broken machine, leaving it open to one last attack.

With a catlike smirk on her face, Peridot cried out. "EAT THIS!"

And then, using all of the scrap she had gathered from the Shatter Machine's armor rolled into a tight sphere, Peridot launched an attack on the Core. Shooting the scrap ball dead center into the Shatter Machine's weak point, Peridot held forth her clenched fist and very quickly spread it open, bursting the metal party favor and wrecking the Shatter Machine's Core.

As the machine fell to the ground, now without power, Connie turned to Jasper, Lapis, and Peridot. "Mission Accomplished Guys!"


	4. Chapter 4: Secrets

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 4: Secrets**

Connie nervously laughed as she was swarmed by Mayor Dewey and the people of Beach City. The young woman grinned wide and quickly thought of an excuse. "Uh...I know you might have heard a lot of loud banging and a bunch of crashing noises, but..."

Mayor Dewey was incredulous. "But? Listen kid, we can't have people damaging the beach. This town is called Beach City after all. So, as mayor of Beach City, I demand to know what is going on! So, tell me now!"

Connie shied away. Sneaking a look back at the beach in front of Steven's house, only to see the Homeworld Gems still bickering with one another, Connie struggled for any reason the curious citizens shouldn't push right past her. "Well...you see...it's an interesting story..."

Meanwhile, over by Steven's House, the Homeworld Gems argued about how to move the leftovers of the Shatter Machine. Peridot grumbled. "But she would be perfect to move this thing! We could carry this hunk of junk all the way back to the barn with no issue whatsoever!"

Lapis shook her head. "No."

Jasper grunted. "Shut up!"

Peridot scrunched up her face and stomped away from the others. "Stupid clods...you figure out how to carry it then..."

As Peridot went about making sure all the parts of the worn piece of Gem tech were safely cleared from the beach, Jasper turned to Peridot. "You know...she does have a point. If we had that kind of power, then-"

Lapis frowned and turned her back to the giant, orange Quartz. "You'll forgive me if I'm just not in the mood at the moment. Besides, we can move this thing without any sort of enhancement."

Lapis turned to the ocean and summoned a huge ball of water, enveloping the Shatter Machine and yanking it up from the ground. The blue gem turned back to Jasper and sighed. "I need to concentrate on holding this shape. You carry me. Peridot, use your powers to pick up the smaller pieces."

Jasper scowled. "Since when do you order us around?!"

Lapis glared at Jasper, heavy bags already forming under her eyes. "Since I started to get tired of this. And since I've noticed that those humans are starting to get impatient with Connie. That's when I got put in charge. Now, shut your mouth and carry me!"

Jasper and Peridot both flinched back as Lapis slightly lost her temper. Lapis squeezed her eyes shut and sighed. "Look...I'm sorry...I'm just really worn down right now. So, can we please just go home?"

Jasper and Peridot turned their heads to look at one another, and then they turned back to Lapis. Peridot spoke first. "Of course Lapis. Whatever you say."

Jasper didn't speak. Rather, the larger Gem carefully walked up to Lapis, picking the stiff blue Gem up and cradling her in her hands as she held focus. Lapis nodded. "Thank you Peridot. Thank you Jasper. Now, let's hurry and get out of here. I don't want the humans or the Crystal Gems to see this thing..."

Connie felt the sweat beading down the side of her face. "So...that's why you can't go over there right now. The Gems and Steven would be to worried about the monsters they're trying to help lashing out at you. So, please, would you kindly not go over there right now?"

The Cool Kids all nodded. Buck smiled. "If Steven is afraid of the things they're dealing with, I don't want anything to do with it. That little dude is braver than all of us!"

One by one, the rest of the townsfolk agreed and all quickly dispersed. All of them slowly wondered off until the only one left was Mayor Dewey. The mayor looked as if he was examining, searching Connie's face for any falsehoods. The pink faced politician scowled, and then sighed. "Fine. That's fine. But, if I hear any more noises emanating from that direction, I'm going to go over there to see what's going on! So, please, implore the Gems and that little Universe kid to keep their ruckus to a minimum!"

Connie smiled and nodded. "Yes sir Mayor Dewey!"

The mayor nodded and walked away. And, once he was out of sight, Connie sighed in relief. She didn't know why the other three had demanded that she lie to the townspeople, but she didn't like it. It felt...wrong. And she wanted answers for why she had to do so.

Connie groaned as she stared at the road ahead. She was in for another long walk, but once she reached her destination, she was going to give the Homeworld Gems such a stern talking to.

 _Back at the Barn..._

Connie wiped the sweat from her brow as she made her way across the field to the Barn. She was already irritated that she had to lie (she had promised her mother that she wouldn't do that anymore), but now she was irritated and tired. Not to mention she was weighed down by the immense weight of Rose's Sword. Swing the weapon in battle was one thing, hefting it up the rolling hills of Beach City was another...

Connie sighed in relief when the Barn finally came into view. Worn out, Connie set Rose's Sword against the tree and crouched down for a quick break. Hearing a grunt, Connie turned and saw Stabber the Rhino staring directly at her. Being in no mood for anyone's lip, Connie glared at Jasper's pet. "What?!"

Uncaring, Stabber turned around and began to graze. Connie's scowl quickly melted from her face. "I'm sorry big guy...didn't mean to snap at you."

Stabber grunted and continued to graze, barely registering that Connie had even spoke to it. Feeling a bit more rested, Connie stood up and rounded the barn, eventually finding the three Homeworld Gems and the remains of the Shatter Machine. "Hey!"

Lapis and Jasper both turned and glanced at Connie. Jasper rolled her eyes and went back to watching Peridot work on the busted remains of the decrepit. Lapis faintly smiled. "Hey Connie..."

Lapis sighed, quickly noticing the angry look on the young Humans face. "Sorry I didn't come back for you. My Gem is still aching from being squeezed. And I, more or less, wore out the last of my strength lifting what was left of that thing..."

From inside the Shatter Machine, Peridot cried out. "Hey! I carried the small stuff!"

Lapis rolled her eyes. "Yes. Good work Peridot. You levitated a whole 20 lbs of metal!"

Peridot shot up from the remains of the Shatter Machine. "It was 30 lbs! And that's really hard for me! So please, quit talking down to me just because you're upset!"

Lapis' blank expression quickly melted into one of sadness and regret. She glanced at her little green friend, seeing that she had hurt her feelings, and sighed. "I'm...sorry Peridot. I'll just...I'll just go in and...read or something..."

As Lapis quickly left the group, retreating into the barn, Connie turned to the others. While Lapis was clearly tired and upset, and Connie was unwilling to bother her at the moment, Jasper and Peridot were still available to question. Connie walked up to the buff orange Gem and short green Gem and crossed her arms. "We did the three of you make me lie like that?!"

Jasper shrugged as she stared down at the insolent, human girl. "We didn't want to freak out the rest of your squishy bretheren."

Connie glared at Jasper. "Don't give me that! The humans of Beach City know all about Gem stuff and you know it! The lie I told them was about Gem Monsters and they accepted it like it was nothing! Now, what's the real reason?! What's your angle here, Jasper?!"

Jasper sneered at Connie. "Why you little..."

Peridot, seeing a situation quickly escalating, jumped from the chassis of the Shatter Machine and put herself inbetween Jasper and Connie. "It's not like that Connie!"

Connie flinched back,confused. Peridot cleared her throat and elaborated on the situation. "I know it must look fishy to you, Jasper demanding that you keep the Shatter Machine under wraps. What with her being the one of us to most recently turn over a new leaf..."

Connie nodded. "Very fishy..."

Peridot shook her head. "But, it wasn't Jasper's idea. It was Lapis'!"

Connie cocked her head in confusion. "Lapis wanted to keep the Shatter Machine a secret? Why?"

Jasper grunted. "Don't know. She just said at the last minute that she wanted to keep it between the four of us. So, as... _head of the household._..we kind of try our best to listen to her when it comes to things like this..."

Connie raised an eyebrow. "Lapis is head of your household?

Peridot smiled and nodded. "Well duh! She is the strongest out of all of us! Of course she's in charge."

Jasper snarled. "That's doubtful..."

Peridot smiled a catty grin. "Oh, c'mon! She was strong enough to hold you at the bottom of the sea!"

Jasper's cheeks glowed bright orange. Trying to avoid any more embarassment, she quickly changed the subject. "Hey! Have you found out anything yet runt?!"

Peridot frowned. "I'm not a runt...I was just made small..."

Connie and Jasper watched as Peridot dug deeper and deeper into the decaying circuitry of the Shatter Machine. After a few minutes of waiting, Peridot popped back out of the Shatter Machine's husk, a wild grin on her face, and raised her acquisition high into the air. "Eureka! It's log box is still intact!"

Connie and Jasper both stared, completely silent. Peridot cocked her head. "Is something wrong?"

Connie coughed into her fist. "Uh...eureka?"

Peridot blushed. "What?! I saw it in a movie..."

Connie tapped her index fingers together. "No offense Peridot...but that phrase is a bit..."

Jasper was blunt. "That was the dumbest sounding thing you've ever said."

Peridot scowled, totally taken aback. "Excuse me?! I'll have you know..."

Peridot shook her head. "Nevermind. The important thing is this. The Log Box. It's amazing that this thing, considering how old it is, is even still in one piece!"

Jasper concurred. "Can't help but agree there. It's amazing that anything in this ancient hunk it functional at all. It's joints weren't even air tight when we fought it! I'm surprised it didn't fall apart..."

Peridot leapt from the Shatter Machine's husk, running over to a laptop she had set up next to the barn. "Well, that's another point of contention I'll get to in a minute. But, really quickly, I need to download all of the data in this thing. It won't be long before it corrupts without something to connect to."

Jasper and Connie watched as Peridot hooked the Log Box into the laptop, quickly typing in the proper commands and smiling as the Gem tech began to send all of it's knowledge into the human device. Peridot turned and grinned. "There were...eight? Yeah! Eight computers in that truck! Lapis and Jasper each took one for themselves and I took the other six! Using them and some spare Gem tech that was left lying around the world, I made this laptop so that I could have limited access to the Galaxy Database!"

Connie cocked her head. "Galaxy database?"

Jasper nodded. "Yeah. It was the thing she accessed with her Limb Enhancers. She can't connect to private Homeworld caches, but she can gain rudimentary access to the primitive Gem technology left on this planet. On, in simpler terms-"

Connie smiled at Jasper. "No need. I got it just fine! She basically has access to the Gem Homeworld's version of the internet. Right?"

Jasper, clearly surprised, nodded. "Uh...yeah."

Jasper shook her head. "Wow. I'm used to that Amethyst and Rose's spawn barely understanding anything I'm talking about when it comes to the Homeworld..."

Peridot typed in a few more commands onto her super computer. "And...done! Downloading progression is stable! Now, Jasper, I believe that you were confused about how such an ancient device could still function after all these millenia without falling apart?"

Jasper nodded, a confused look on her face. "Yeah. These things are older than _I_ am by a good bit. I'm surprised that this thing hasn't wasted away to nothing by now..."

Peridot grinned. "Well, that's just it. It _has_ wasted away to nothing!"

Jasper and Connie both cocked their heads. "What?"

Peridot nodded. "Yeah. Just going by what's left of its outer armor plating alone, this thing is a huge amalgam of at least twelve other Shatter Machines. It's practically what you humans would call a...is it Dracula, Jasper?"

Jasper scratched her head. "I think it's a werewolf..."

Lapis' voice shouted from the Barn. "It's Frankenstein!"

Jasper shouted back. "How do you know?!"

Lapis shouted back again, sounding slightly irritated. "I'm reading the book right now! And who left an empty orange juice carton in the fridge! That's so annoying..."

Jasper sighed. "I did. I'll go to town and get more..."

The brutish, orange Gem turned to Connie and Peridot. "Do you two need anything?"

Peridot leapt back into the Shatter Machine. "I'm going to be doing this all night, so I'd like some more of that citrus soda stuff! And some more of those chips that are shaped like me, but colored like you!"

Connie thought to herself. "Uh...I'd like a chocolate bar if you'd please pick me one up. Thank you Jasper!"

Jasper grumbled as she started her walk back to Beach City. "Whatever...you're welcome..."

 _Later that night..._

Connie groaned as she laid down for bed. Steven still hadn't come to meet up with her. Connie shook her head as she snuggled under her sleeping bag. "He's probably still on a mission..."

Connie nodded to herself, trying her best not to feel sad. "Yeah. Still on a mission. He wouldn't ignore me on purpose."

Lapis groaned from her position, laying next to Connie. "You okay...?"

Connie remained quiet. Lapis let loose a sigh and rolled over, facing the young woman. "Hey...what's wrong? The mattress not comfortable?"

Connie glanced down, and then she looked Lapis directly in the eye. "Lapis...why aren't you guys telling the Crystal Gems about this. Don't you think that they should know about the Shatter Machine? Like, just in case another one shows up?"

Lapis remained silent, instantly looking away from Connie. Quickly, the blue Gem rolled over, facing away from her house guest. "The Gems are busy Connie. They're out there fighting monsters, poofing corrupted Gems, saving the world...like, apparently, only _they_ can..."

Connie frowned at Lapis' tone. "Lapis...?"

Lapis waved Connie off. "We can talk more tomorrow, Connie. I'll show you my library if you'd like. For now...I'm really worn out..."

Connie silently sighed and rolled backover, slowly closing her eyes and drifting off. "Okay...goodnight Lapis..."

Lapis bit her lower lip. "Yeah...goodnight Connie..."


	5. Chapter 5: Building Relationships

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 5: Building Relationships**

Connie's eyes slowly cracked open as the light of a new day shone in. The human girl sat up, stretching as she got into a sitting position. Yawning, Connie looked to her left and noticed that Lapis was no longer laying in her spot. The blue Gem, alongside her pillow and blanket, were both gone. Connie glanced around the barn, looking for any signs of what had happened to Lapis and, eventually, she found her answer.

In the other loft, Lapis was snuggled in her chair, a large book resting in her lap, her blanket draped over her shoulders. Lapis Lazuli looked simultaneously deep in thought and completely enraptured by whatever she was reading.

Connie thought back to their short discussion the night previous. She had questioned Lapis about her recent hiding of things from the Crystal Gems. And, in the process, at least from Connie's perspective, it seemed as if she had managed to unnerve Lapis. Quietly, Connie stood up and began to sneak her way across the barn, near silently jumping down from the right loft and just as quietly making her way to the left one.

Still unnoticed, Connie quietly snuck up on Lapis. Trying her best to avoid making any noise. The young woman smiled as she came right up behind Lapis, peering over the Gem's shoulder to see what she was reading.

But, as Connie's eyes roamed the page, Lapis spoke up. "It's a book about two lemurs trying to make their way through an earth jungle."

Connie nearly jumped from her skin as Lapis turned and looked up at her. "You might have been being quiet, but I'm not blind Connie. I saw you get out of bed and sneak over here just fine. Now, if you're curious about my book..."

Lapis turned to Connie and smiled wide. "It's called the _Lemurs Grimm_! It's a book about two lemurs who take old jungle stories and make them darker and more macabre. And, as they make their way through the jungle, they're being chased by some unseen monster! I started reading it after I rested up last night and I've been reading it ever since! I'm already half way through and when I'm done you could-"

Connie quickly interrupted. "Whoa! Whoa! Slow down Lapis! I can barely understand you when you talk so fast!"

Lapis blushed, her cheeks turning bright blue. "Oops. Sorry. Whenever Steven comes over, he always talks about how much you love books. So...I guess I'm just excited to share mine with you. I've been going a bit stir crazy here. Traveling the Earth and seeing new sights is fun and all, but with Peridot being obsessed with TV and technology and Jasper being... _Jasper_...I'm just excited to have someone else who loves these Earth stories around! A lot of good writers were created while I was trapped in the mirror..."

Unable to help herself, Connie cracked a huge grin and began to gush about her own literary loves. "I know, right! I love so many of the books that are out there! I'm a big fan of the _Spirit Morph Saga_!"

Lapis squealed in delight. "Me too! Steven told me about it, so I flew to a bookstore and bought the entire saga, and it was amazing! I love the adventure, the excitement, the strong female lead, and...THE _CAKE_! I love the cake! It sounded so beautiful and yummy!"

Connie giggled. "Oh my gosh! You sound just like Steven!"

Lapis and Connie both took a moment to think back on Steven and his adorable love of the wedding cake. And then they broke out into a giant laughing fit. Both the Gem and the Human fell back and laughed until they, or at least Connie, could no longer breathe.

Connie sucked in a deep breath and let out a last few chuckles. And then she turned to Lapis. "So, you read any other books?"

Lapis nodded. "I've read a ton of them. Any, in particular, that you like?"

Connie smirked and nodded. "I've always liked _A Wrinkle in Time._ "

Lapis rolled onto her stomach and smiled wide. "Oh! I do too! Let's talk about it!"

And so it was. For the next thirty minutes, Lapis and Connie laid on the floor and Lapis' library and giddily discussed their respective loves of reading and books, and shared some of their favorites with one another.

Eventually, after they ran out of subjects to talk about, the two of them collapsed onto the fine rug that Lapis had her chair placed on. Lapis curled up into a ball and smiled. "It...was nice to be able to talk about books with you..."

Connie nodded and grinned. "Yeah...it was..."

Connie's smile faded. She glanced over at the happily preening Lapis and silently sighed. "Lapis..."

Lapis turned her cheery grin back at Connie. "Yes? What-"

Lapis saw the serious, somewhat forelorn look on Connie's face and her own smile faded. She looked away from Connie. And then back at her. And then away again. "You're wondering about the Shatter Machine, right?"

Connie swallowed a lump in her throat and nodded. "Why? Lapis...why are you keeping this a secret from the Gems? I mean..."

Lapis closed her eyes and sighed. "Connie. You can tell the Gems if you want. But I would like it if you'd hear me out first..."

Connie glanced over at Lapis. The blue Gem looked back at her, her mouth stuck in a terribly sad frown. "I can't tell you right now. But please, Connie, I just need you to trust me. Okay?"

Connie cocked her head in confusion. "What?"

Lapis sighed and her eyes narrowed. "If I told you the reason I wanted to keep the Shatter Machine a secret...it would sound like nothing more than a weak, indifferent Gem being petty for no reason. And...in some ways...it's just that. But..."

Connie rolled onto her stomach and looked Lapis in the eye. "But?"

Lapis weakly smiled at her new book buddy. "But, I swear to you, I wouldn't be doing this if I thought it would endanger the Earth."

Lapis mimed Connie, rolling onto her stomach and staring right back into Connie's eye. Gingerly, Lapis reached out and ran her fingers through Connie's hair. "Steven says that he trusts you Connie. He says that you're a good person who always tries to do what she thinks is right...so I trust you too..."

Finally, Lapis slowly trailed her hand down, gently wrapping her fingers around Connie's hand. "So please...will you trust in me?"

Connie looked away. As Lapis, with total sincerity, held her hand and almost begged her not to tell the Crystal Gems about what they were doing, Connie looked away. Taking a breath, Connie thought back. It had only been two days that she had really associated with these three. And none of them, not even Jasper, really seemed malicious.

And, they had welcomed her to their home with open arms. After a moments thought, with Lapis gently stroking Connie's hand with her thumb the entire time, Connie looked back up at the blue Gem and smiled. "I trust you Lapis. I won't tell anyone."

Lapis smiled and shot forward, wrapping her arms around Connie's neck. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

Connie nervously giggled and gently tried to loosen Lapis' grip. "Lapis...you're choking me..."

In shock, Lapis quickly broke the hug. "Oh, I'm sorry! Sorry! I forgot that you're kind of fragile..."

Connie giggled. "It's okay..."

But then, the human girl's face turned slightly serious. "But...you're sure that the three of you can handle whatever it is you're doing. The only reason I'm concerned, at all, is that you guys might be in over your heads on whatever it is you're doing..."

Lapis smiled a huge, cheezy grin. "Hey! Come on...we're perfectly capable of handling this pro-"

 **BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! CRASH!**

"AH! JASPER! THROW ME THE WATER!"

Connie shot Lapis a funny look as they heard Peridot freaking out outside. Lapis buried her face in her hand. "Every time you try to make a serious point...irony has to kick in..."

Outside the barn, Connie and Lapis came to see a horrific sight. Running up and down the field, Peridot was screaming in terror as a mighty blaze roared atop her head. And, meanwhile, as this horrific scene transpired, Jasper laid in the grass, using Stabber's massive flank as a pillow, sadistically giggling at the messed up display played out before her.

Peridot screamed at the top of her lungs. "THROW ME THE WATER! IT'S RUINING MY HAIR! YOU GIANT ORANGE CLOD!"

Connie and Lapis both walked over to Jasper as she chuckled and slapped her knee. Connie quickly grabbed the bucket of water and tossed it at Peridot, unfortunately missing as the green Gem flailed about. Lapis narrowed her eyes and snatched the chocolate bar from Jasper's mouth. Jasper stared up at Lapis, totally annoyed. "What?"

Lapis grumbled under her breath and summoned a column of water from Stabber's nearby drinking pool. Acting quickly, she formed a hand out of the water and grabbed Peridot's flaming head, quickly extinguishing it. Peridot fell to the ground, her head and hair finally safe. "Thanks Lapis..."

Lapis shook her head and sighed. "What is _wrong_ with you?!"

Jasper responded defensively. "What?! We're Gems! Fire can't hurt us!"

Lapis snapped back at Jasper, bowing up to the bigger Gems face until their noses were nearly touching. "That doesn't mean you just sit their and watch her burn! And, furthermore, even though fire doesn't _hurt_ us, it still isn't pleasant! If she's begging you to put her out, you _PUT HER OUT_!"

Jasper grumbled to herself, very quickly jerking her head away from Lapis. "You're making a big deal over nothing!"

As Lapis glared at Jasper, and Jasper pretended that the blue Gem wasn't there, Peridot slowly stood and marched up to them, wiping singe marks from her face. "Ugh...big orange-"

Jasper rolled her eyes. "Let me guess: clod?"

Peridot's mouth fell agape. "N-no...uh...um...uhhhh...NNNNEGHH!"

Jasper smirked. "I'm waiting..."

Peridot muttered out an insult. "D-dirt...cl-"

Jasper snorted. "Hah! All your insults involve the word _clod_!"

Peridot's cheeks glowed bright green. Jasper snorted and chuckled as Peridot stood there, embarrassed. However, Jasper's picking at her quickly came to a stop when Lapis slapped her in the back of the head with a slightly frozen water hand. "Quit picking on her."

Jasper turned and sneered at Lapis. "Why you..."

Lapis bowed up at her larger compatriot once more. "What?!"

Seeing another situation rising up, Peridot quickly abandoned her venture of thinking up a better insult and got inbetween her two friends. "Okay guys! No reason to fight with one another! Lapis, Jasper was just playing around. And Jasper, Lapis was just sticking up for me! There's no reason for you two to get angry..."

Lapis and Jasper both regarded one another with a mixture of anger and annoyance. Lapis sneered. Jasper snarled. But, right as the two were about to collide, Peridot made one last cry for peace. "GUYS! DON'T YOU WANT TO HEAR THE GOOD NEWS?!"

Lapis and Jasper both paused. Ignoring one another, they turned their attention to Peridot. The anger slowly melted from Jasper's face, turning back to annoyance, and she eventually took the bait. "Fine. What's the good news?"

Peridot smiled a huge, toothy grin. "I managed to pull all of the data from the Shatter Machine's Log Box without losing _any_ of it! We have it all! That means we can discover _when and where_ it was activated and, if it's eyes didn't take long to activate when it was woken up, we can even see _who_ activated it!"

Lapis smiled back as Peridot took a moment to bathe in the limelight of success. "Peridot, that's awesome! So, when was it activated?"

Connie smiled too, giving Peridot a pat on the back. "Yeah! And where? I'd love to know where that thing was hidden and how no one ever discovered it!"

Even Jasper cracked a slight grin, even if it was ever-so-slightly malicious. "And who did it? I'd love to get my hands on 'em!"

Finally, after taking another minute to bask in the gushing praise of her colleagues, Peridot answered their questions. "Uh...well...I don't know..."

The other three turned silent. Lapis hunched over and let loose a tired sigh, as did Connie. Jasper, meanwhile, was much more blunt. "Are you kidding?! You get our hopes up just to say that you don't know anything?!"

Peridot snapped back at the three of them, her teeth practically sharpening with anger and annoyance. "NNNNNGHH! You didn't let me finish! I don't know YET! YET!"

Lapis cocked her head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Peridot, calming down, reached behind her and picked up her iPad, displaying a screen full of warped code and unrecognizable text. "I need to decrypt what I pulled from it. It shouldn't take that long...just a few hours. But, it's still good news...right?"

Lapis and Jasper were both taken aback. Peridot was staring at them both like a sad puppy. Connie spoke up first. "Of course it is Peridot! It'll be nice to know just who is responsible for this thing going on a rampage..."

Following Connie's lead, Lapis quickly congratulated Peridot. "Yeah. You did great Peri! Right, Jasper?!"

Jasper flinched, but then, rather sheepishly, she agreed. "Uh-huh. You did a good job, ru...Peridot..."

Peridot grinned from ear-to-ear and sprang into the air, cheering. "Heck yeah! The great and lovable Peridot does it again!"

Lapis and Connie both watched on, quite amused, as Peridot hopped about, singing her own praises at a job well done. Jasper, quickly regaining composure, spoke up. "Hey! Celebrate later! You need to get to work decrypting that data. We need to figure out who or what woke this thing up!"

Peridot nodded in agreement. "Right! I'll head into the barn right now and get to decrypting! But, I require a lot of concentration to do this, so I call the barn to myself for a bit! While I'm doing that...why don't the three of you decide what to do with what's left of the Shatter Machine?"

Connie was confused. "What do you mean 'decide what to do with it'?"

Peridot grinned. "I mean do something with it! We can't just leave it sitting there like that! Destroy it, bury it, make meep-morp with it! I don't know, I'll leave that part up to you three! I need to get decrypting!"

And then, without another word, Peridot fell to all fours and retreated into the barn, locking the door behind her. Jasper shook her head. "I can't be the only one who thinks it's weird she runs like that..."

Lapis glared at Jasper. Jasper sighed. "Am I allowed to say anything?"

Lapis grunted under her breath. "You could try not being such a condescending pain in the-"

Connie quickly interjected. "So what are you guys going to do with this thing?

With that, Jasper and Lapis fell quiet, looking around the area of the barn to see if they had any place to put what was left of the Shatter Machine. After a bit, Jasper smiled. Not a malicious smile, but a genuinely happy one. "Hey, Lapis...remember when Peridot went off to Rose's spawns house and we decided to watch that 'special movie' together?!"

Lapis grinned and began to laugh under her breath, slightly blushing. "Yeah...that movie was awesome!"

Connie was beginning to get grossed out. "What movie are you two talking about...?"

Jasper stroked her chin. "I forget what it was called...Lapis...?"

Lapis turned to Jasper. "The Shawshank Redemption."

Jasper nodded. "Yeah! That! I love that movie!"

Connie cocked her head in confusion. "Oh. I've seen that movie...what about it?"

Jasper smiled wide. "I really liked the way that prison in that movie looked! One of my favorite parts was the guard towers! And...well...the Shatter Machine is really tall, and hollow in the middle, so..."

Lapis smiled. "Oh! Okay. I see what you mean...you want to take the Shatter Machine's torso and make a prison guard tower out of it?"

Jasper shook her head, her face coated in giddy glee. "Yeah! We could get a spotlight to put in it. And we could use it's legs to keep it rooted into the ground. And...uh..."

Lapis smiled, she preferred this Jasper. The good Jasper that she saw past the bad attitude and standoffish personality. Lapis smiled. "Okay. We can do that. But we'll need supplies. There's a hardware store in Beach City. We just need to get some money from the safe and we can get the stuff to build."

Lapis quickly sprouted a set of wings and quietly flew into the barn, being careful not to disturb Peridot. With her gone, Connie and Jasper were left alone. And...it was awkward. Connie nervously looked up at Jasper and smiled. "So...what's your favorite part of Shawshank? Let me guess...the murder? The violence?"

Jasper shook her head. "No. I thought it was cool how flawlessly Andy Dufresne managed to pull off his plan. I mean...nineteen years with a claw hammer. I'll say this, you humans are really determined when you want to be!"

Jasper turned to Connie. "What about you? What's your favorite part?"

Connie flinched. "Um...I thought it was awesome when Hadley and Norton finally got their comeuppance. The movie built their characters so perfectly that you couldn't help but despise them. So, seeing them suffer in the end was pretty satisfying for all they put the inmates through..."

Quickly, the two were rejoined by Lapis. The blue Gem had a warm smile on her face. "What are you two talking about?"

Jasper grinned. "We're talking about our favorite scenes in Shawshank. Connie likes the same scene you do."

Lapis gasped. "You like the scene where those cruel jailers get what's coming to them too?! I love that scene..."

And then, with money in hand, the two Gems and their human companion began their walk down to Beach City. Inside the barn, in the middle of decrypting data, Peridot smiled as she heard the three of them talking and getting along. "Heh. Keep an eye on them for me Connie..."

 _Down in Beach City..._

Connie, Jasper, and Lapis exited Beach City Hardware. Connie was carrying a bag of paintbrushes, Jasper was carrying two giant armloads of lumber, Lapis was carrying the paint. The three of them walked down the street, joking and laughing with one another, completely at ease.

Lapis turned to Connie. "So...do you want to go see if Steven is home?"

Connie shook her head. "Nah. I'll go check in with him later. I want to help you guys build your guard tower!"

Jasper chuckled. "Awesome! We'd love to have the help! All we need now is a light...which kinda makes me wish I hadn't torn out that things eyes like I did. They would've been perfect..."

Connie interjected. "Well...I know this surplus store that my Dad likes to shop at in Empire City. Maybe if Lapis could fly us there, they'd have one..."

Jasper smirked. "That might be a good idea. Lapis?"

Lapis shrugged. "Sure. I don't mind. We just have to take-"

 **CRASH! CRASH! CRASH! CRUNCH! CRASH!**

Lapis sighed and turned to the source of the noise. "You've got to be kidding me..."

Connie turned with her and stared, bug-eyed, at what she saw. "What is that?!"

Jasper turned and clenched her teeth, growling at the large, Gem construct behind the three of them. The machine slammed it's self down on the ground, pulling hexagonal pieces of the Earth's crust up into its body. She dropped the wood on the street and quickly summoned her Crash Helmet. "That, Connie, is a Faceter!"

Connie and Lapis both jumped in shock as Jasper, before they could do anything to stop her, leapt at the Faceter, ready to headbutt it.


	6. Chapter 6: The Faceter

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 6: The Faceter**

Connie cursed herself as Jasper grappled with the monstrous Gem machine that had suddenly shown up. She couldn't believe that she had been dumb enough to leave Rose's Sword back at the barn. Now, when they really required that sort of power, it was too far away to get to. Sure, Lapis could fly her there, but that would leave Jasper all alone, with a giant hunk of metal, in a easily destructible town...

Connie yelped as she quickly jumped out of the way of a piece of flying rubble.

...and it was painfully clear that Jasper, despite slowly becoming a better person towards her fellow Gems, didn't give a care about Beach City whatsoever. If Connie and Lapis left, she would have free reign to wreck Beach City.

Working quickly, Connie took the wood, paint, and other building supplies and hid them in a nearby alleyway. And then, rushing back out, she stepped into view just in time to see a massive energy beam blasting Lapis and Jasper into the side of a building. The Faceter, thinking it had won, turned and went back to its work sucking up giant, hexagon-shaped pieces of the Earth's crust and shooting debris out of its back vent.

Jasper bolted up with a start. "I break you in-"

Connie ran up to the furious Quartz and grabbed her wrist. "Wait! Jasper!"

Jasper glared down at Connie. "What?!"

Connie swallowed a lump in her throat. "What is that thing doing?! What is a Faceter?!"

Jasper growled under her breath, but, relenting to Connie's curiosity, she gave a quick, but effective answer. "It's a Warp Pad generator. It sucks up chunks of minerals from the planets that it lands on, it processes them into the proper shape, and then it properly enchants them so that they can be used to travel...or at least it did..."

Connie cocked her head. "What?"

But, it was too late, Jasper rolled into her spin attack and launched herself at the Faceter, smashing it forward and planting it, face first, into the street.

Connie stood there, confused. "What do you mean 'not anymore'?!"

Lapis pulled herself from the rubble. "She means that it's beam, the beam it normally uses to enchant the Warp Pad, isn't being used to enchant anymore. Someone has re-wired it to act as an offensive weapon..."

Connie was confused. "You know about Warp Pads?"

Lapis cut her eyes at Connie. "Of course I know about Warp Pads! Homeworld has advanced quite a bit in my time imprisoned in the mirror, but they at least had the basics back in my time..."

Connie sheepishly looked away. "Sorry...I wasn't trying to imply that you didn't know..."

Lapis sighed. "It's fine. I'm just annoyed that Jasper is so non-chalantly destroying Beach City..."

Connie turned from Lapis and watched as Jasper, rather uncaringly, heaved the Faceter off the ground and tossed it towards the beach. Connie winced upon hearing the sound of smashing wood and breaking glass. "Yeah...maybe I should go to Steven's house and try to get the Crystal Gems to come and help?"

Lapis shook her head. "Even if I wanted them here, that would just be a waste of time on your part. Trust me...if they were home, they would've heard all of this happening by now..."

Connie silently groaned. "You think so?"

As Lapis was about to answer, another loud crash happened. Jasper screamed at the top of her lungs. And Connie and Lapis both heard Kofi scream. "My car! You Crystal Gems are going to pay for that! I know your boss!"

Lapis sighed and ran her hand over her face. "Yes. I'm reasonably sure that they would've heard this by now. Luckily, as Jasper said, these things aren't normally built for combat. It's been armored, but, other than that, all it has is a repurposed enchantment beam. Jasper and I should be able to handle it. I just need for you to handle him."

And then, without another word, Lapis sprouted a pair of wings and flew off to help Jasper. Connie was confused. "What do you mean 'him'?!"

Connie was immediately answered by the flustered voice of Mayor Dewey. "What is going on?! I told you to keep this Gem stuff from destroying the town!"

Connie groaned as the profusely sweating mayor ran up to her. "Jeez...thanks a lot Lapis..."

 _On the Beach..._

Lapis flew into an impressive, if somewhat funny, sight. The Faceter, it's beam blasting a full power, was firing upon Jasper. And yet, ever so slowly, with her Crash Helmet covering her head, Jasper was charging through the blast. Lapis hovered and snickered to herself as Jasper pressed her hard head against the beam.

Jasper slowly plodded forward. "You...think...you...can...stop...me..."

The beams increased intensity, stopping Jasper in her tracks. Jasper let loose a mighty roar. "MY HEAD IS HARDER THAN YOUR BEAM COULD EVER BREAK!"

And, with that battle cry, Jasper snapped her neck back and redirected the energy beam up into the air. And then, with a mighty charge, the Ultimate Quartz rammed her full body weight into the Faceter, smashing it into the ocean.

Jasper, breathing heavily and raggedly, fell to her knees. "Ugh...Lapis! Grab it!"

Lapis smirked and allowed herself to gently descend to the beach. "Sure thing."

Using her powers, Lapis formed a giant hand out of the water, tightly gripping the Faceter and holding it aloft, above the ocean. With the thing caught, Lapis looked down at Jasper, and began to near silently giggle.

Looking up at the blue Gem, Jasper frowned. "What? What's so funny...?"

Lapis smiled wide at her buff, orange comrade. "Oh nothing...it's just funny that you finally-"

Lapis broke out into a fit of snickering. Jasper was still confused. Taking a sitting position on the beach, Jasper turned to face Lapis. "Finally what?!"

Lapis snorted as she laughed. "You're finally acknowledging how thick your skull is..."

Jasper sneered as Lapis laughed. Finally taking a break from her giggling, Lapis shot Jasper the side eye. "Come on Jas. Are you really saying, after everything you've been through, you're still too good to laugh at yourself?"

Initially, Jasper maintained her sour disposition. But, slowly, her angry demeanor melted away. And, eventually, she began to chuckle until, finally, she bursted out into a full on belly laugh. "Okay...okay...I'll admit. I guess I deserve that. And...it was kinda funny..."

However, as the two Gems sat on the beach, having a good laugh amongst themselves, the Faceter woke back up. And, activating it's targeting mechanism, it silently took aim directly at Jasper. And then, once its target was acquired, the Faceter began to stealthily build up a charge.

Having laughed herself out, Lapis wiped the tears built up in her eyes away and walked up to Jasper, offering her a friendly hand. "Let me help you up. Then we can carry this thing back to the Barn. Peridot is probably going to have a conniption when she sees it..."

Jasper reached up to take the hand. "Yeah...Lapis..."

Lapis smiled down at Jasper. "Yes?"

Jasper broke into a warm smile. "Thanks for taking a second to joke around with me..."

Lapis shot Jasper an understanding wink. "Of course. We're...friends Jasper. What else are friends for?"

Nodding in understanding, Jasper reached up and took Lapis' hand. But, as she began to stand, the Faceter struck, firing it's beam directly into the center of Jasper's back and propelling her forward. Jasper crashed, face first, into Lapis. The two of them stared at one another in wide-eyed shock. And then, accidently, the two began to fuse.

 _In the middle of Beach City..._

Connie stood there, a bored, listless expression on her face, as Mayor Dewey continued to chew her out. She had always been taught by her parents to respect her elders, but Mayor Dewey sounded less like a responsible adult and more like a whiny child.

Connie averted her gaze to the beach, worried about Jasper and Lapis, as the mayor continued to complain about how his town was being wrecked. But, suddenly, Connie's look of boredom turned into a look of absolute terror as, from the beach, a giant, glowing silhouette arose. Connie had never seen it before, but knowing what Steven had told her and knowing the two Gems currently on the beach, the human girl came to the only logical conclusion. "Malachite..."

And then, without a single word to Mayor Dewey, Connie ran from the one-sided conversation towards the beach.

 _Back on the Beach..._

The Faceter went back to its work of taking in slabs of minerals as, behind it, Malachite howled in anger and terror. The Gem Fusion, not even fully formed, still in the glowing, combining state, wasn't completing. It was fighting itself, warping and rending and shivering and shaking and cowering and screaming and wailing and crying out. It was clear to anyone watching the spectacle, the thing hiding behind that shining vale didn't want to exist.

And, after a moment, it no longer did. In an explosion of power and pain, Malachite split apart before she ever came to be. Lapis went flying across the beach, bouncing across the sand until she rolled to a stop.

Meanwhile, Jasper stood there, her hands held up in the shoving position. She was breathing heavily, gasping in fear and regret and trying to regain herself. Slowly, she looked up from the ground, staring across the beach at the quivering form of Lapis Lazuli, lying in the sand.

Not thinking about anything else, Jasper sprinted across the sand, running up to her blue comrade. " _LAPIS!_ "

Jasper knee slid across the sand, scooting directly up to her. Placing her hand on the shaking Gem's shoulder, Jasper spoke in the softest voice she could speak in. "Lapis...?"

Lapis, in turn, reacted with absolute terror. Her eyes widening, she turned and planted her foot directly into the center of Jasper's chest, sending her sailing across the beach. Jasper sat up, unhurt, and stared back at Lapis. Sobbing, with tears streaming down her cheeks, Lapis cried out. "DON'T TOUCH ME! DON'T YOU EVER TOUCH ME! EVER!"

Rolling into the fetal position, Lapis sobbed, violently shuddering on the ground, feeling utterly violated. Jasper reached across the beach, putting her hand out to the distant Lapis. "I'm...I'm sorry...I didn't mean to..."

Lapis sobbed out loud, causing Jasper to relent. The orange Quartz could only watch as her former Fusion partner fell into a whimpering pile of fear and self-pity.

As Jasper sat there, unable to come up with the appropriate words, Connie came running up. The human girl looked at Jasper, and then Lapis, and then to the Faceter, which was ripping chunks of stone from the bluffs, and then back to Jasper. "Wh...what happened...?"

Jasper opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't form any words. Looking down, in utter shame, Jasper mumbled out an order. "Watch her for me..."

Connie watched as Jasper stood up and walked away. "Wait. Jasper! Where are you going?!"

Shaking her head, Connie ran over to the crying form of Lapis. "Lapis...are you okay?"

Lapis sobbed and shook her head. "No...no I'm not..."

Lapis took a deep breath and raggedly breathed it back out. "Is Jasper okay? I...I know she..."

Connie frowned. "I don't know, Jasper just-"

Connie was interrupted by the sudden sight of Kofi Pizza's crushed car flying over her head, smashing into the Faceter's head and knocking it over. And then, curled into a flaming ball of rage, Jasper quickly followed it. The orange Gem cried out in rage and frustration, smashing the Faceter's head deeper and deeper into it's body with her bare fist and screaming at the top of her voice. " _YOU MADE ME BREAK MY WORD TO HER! HOW DARE YOU!_ "

Connie, and the emotionally compromised Gem next to her, both sat there and watched as Jasper continued to sink her fists further and further into the Faceter's chassis. The thing was barely able to make a noise, certainly unable to defend itself, as the brutish orange ball of rage continued her assault.

Taking another moment to regain herself, Lapis stood, shakily making her way over to the Faceter and grabbing Jasper's fist right before she smashed the Faceter's energy beam generator. Jasper turned, her eyes boiling with anger and hate, and glared at Lapis.

Lapis stared down as Jasper, her lower lips beginning to tremble as she noticed the tears building in Jasper's eyes. That was one things that neither she or Peridot had ever seen before. Jasper was known to be angry, violent, sarcastic, and genuinely cruel, but she had never been seen to cry before. Not when Steven had healed her, not when Homeworld disavowed her, not when confronted by Steven about Pink Diamond. But now, in the heat of the moment of an accident neither Gem wanted, Jasper was _this_ close to breaking down and crying her eyes out.

Lapis shook her head, reaching down and wiping the impending tears from Jasper's eyes. "I know you didn't mean to...I'm sorry I kicked you...but we need this thing Jasper..."

Jasper turned away, staring down at the Faceter with utter hatred. But, after a moment, the Ultimate Quartz relented. "Connie and I will go back into town and grab the building supplies...you carry this _thing._..I'll smash it if I ever have to look at it again..."

Lapis nodded and placed her hand on Jasper's back. "I know. I know..."

 _Back at the Barn..._

Hearing a banging on the door, Peridot groaned. She was only half way through with the decrypting process. She didn't have time to chit-chat. The tiny, green Gem jumped from her beanbag on the floor and ran to the door, making an effort to shunt it open. "I told you guys that I needed a few-"

Peridot stared in shock at the sight she saw. Jasper and Connie, each with armloads of building supplies, and, behind them, Lapis, was a giant, watery hand standing tall behind her, holding in its palm quite the unexpected sight. Peridot pointed up at it, stars in her eyes, and smiled. " _Is that a Faceter?!_ "

Jasper and Lapis, both worn out, couldn't bring themselves to stand there and listen to Peridot prattle on about all the uses they could have for a Faceter. Jasper, not knowing what else to do, went out and began to work on converting the Shatter Machine into a tower. Lapis, meanwhile, quickly made her way to her chair.

Peridot watched as her two barn mates wordlessly went their seperate ways. She turned to Connie, a fearful look streaked across her bright green face, and nervously posed a question. "What happened?"

Connie sighed and shook her head. "A lot. Apparently."

Peridot closed her eyes. "Did it involve...the M word...?"

Connie wordlessly nodded. Peridot shook her head. "Oh dear..."

 _Later that night..._

As Connie laid there, in bed, trying to sleep, she couldn't help but continue to look up and check on Lapis anytime the thought popped into her head. It's not like she could fall asleep anyhow, the noise of Peridot trying get the Faceter in working order again was echoing all throughout the country side. It would've surprised Connie if anyone in Beach City were able to sleep, much less her.

Connie sat up and, not even attempting to be quiet, made her way over to Lapis once more. Coming up behind the blue Gem, Connie peered over her shoulder and was distraught to see numerous wet marks streaking down the pages of the book she was reading. Connie, taking a moment to consider her options, gingerly reached forth and tapped her friend's shoulder. "Lapis?"

Lapis jumped. She quickly turned to see Connie and, not missing a beat, brought her hands up to her face to wipe her eyes.

Connie sighed and sat down next to Lapis' chair, not speaking until Lapis spoke to her. "Did...you need something, Connie?"

Connie let loose another sigh. "Lapis...Steven does it in front of me all the time. If we're as good a pair of friends as you want us to be...you don't have to be afraid to cry in front of me..."

Lapis nodded. And then, alongside the quivering of her lower lip, the tears began to flow. As Lapis meagerly sobbed and shuddered, Connie reached her hand up and gently massaged the Gem's back. "It's okay Lapis...it's okay..."


	7. Chapter 7: Warp Search

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 7: Warp Search**

Connie yawned as she slowly rose from the mattress. Confused, vaguely remembering that she fell asleep next to Lapis' chair the previous night, Connie slowly shifted her way out of the bed and glanced over to the other loft. Over in the library, slumped in her chair, Lapis Lazuli sat. A book laid open in her lap as she shifted in uneasy slumber.

Not wanting to disturb her, Connie quietly made her way out of the barn. Taking one last, solemn look a Lapis as she engaged the lift, Connie sighed. "I wish there was something I could do to help her..."

Having reached ground level, Connie stepped off the lift and took a look around. It was the same barnyard as normal, meep-morp dotting the landscape, stripped out pieces of both human and techonology decaying in the sun, and...

Connie's eyes widened. "Wait a minute...where's Stabber?!"

Suddenly, to Connie's surprise, Peridot gave an answer. "Jasper got on his back late last night and rode him into the forest a little down the road. She usually goes there whenever she needs time alone..."

Connie quickly turned and saw Peridot, standing there, with a huge toolbox gripped in her arms. "She seemed pretty upset last night...I tried to joke around with her and she didn't even insult me. She just...stood there..."

Connie grimly nodded. "She and Lapis both seem pretty torn up over what happened..."

Peridot nodded and placed the tool box on the ground, pulling a hammer and a screwdriver from within it and jumping into the Faceter. "Yeah...Malachite is still a pretty hard thing for either of them to face. Lapis, more or less, despises the thought of that Fusion ever existing again. Jasper...is a bit more mixed about it..."

Connie cocked her head, watching as Peridot worked. "What do you mean?"

Peridot threw the hammer she was holding out from the Faceter, cursing it as it fell to the ground. "Blasted worthless Earth tool! Connie, please hand me the one without that stupid claw on it..."

Connie nodded and went into the toolbox, quickly locating the ball-peen hammer and tossing it up to Peridot. "Here you go, Peridot!"

Peridot held up her hand and snagged the hammer from the air. "Thanks Connie...by some miracle, Jasper didn't damage this thing too badly when she defeated it yesterday...I just have to do some standard wire repair and it should be up and running again. Then, we can build a new Warp Pad and we'll be able to quickly go where ever we want without having to bother Lapis to fly us or having to explain ourselves to Garnet and Pearl..."

Connie slightly smiled and quickly scaled up the side of the Faceter. Getting up to the cockpit of the formerly rampant Gem machine, Connie tapped Peridot on the shoulder. "I could help you, you know. I mean...if you need it..."

Peridot looked up at Connie and smiled, shooting her a thumbs up. "Of course I'd like the help! An extra pair of hands is always nice to have! Just like..."

Connie turned to Peridot. "Just like what?"

Peridot shook her head and grabbed a handful of strained wires. "Nothing. But, on another note...it's interesting, this thing is..."

Connie looked at the wires in Peridot's hand. "What is it?"

Peridot stroked her chin with her free hand. "This thing isn't as well fixed as the Shatter Machine is. It's almost like it was thrown together in a hurry. Whoever put this one together was in much more of a rush than when they fixed the Shatter Machine. I think we might have spooked them when we took out their last little project..."

Connie nodded. "Okay. So, you have everything you need to fix it though?"

Peridot chuckled. "Oh, yeah! Unlike the Shatter Machine, which we wrecked, this thing isn't overly damaged so much as it's just old. And, furthermore, it's not even meant to be a weapon, it's a building device. Combine all of these things with the fact that Jasper didn't break any parts of the enchantment beam in her rampage...and we might just be good to go here..."

Connie snickered at Peridot's cheery attitude. "That's great Peridot!"

Peridot nodded. "Yeah it is! Now...what were we talking about before...?"

Connie immediately sobered. "Malachite. We were talking about Malachite..."

Peridot grunted as she pulled at the wires. "Yeah...Lapis doesn't like thinking about Malachite. I don't like when she thinks about that _thing_ either...sometimes she just seems annoyed, but sometimes she..."

Connie nodded. "Yeah. I know..."

Peridot sighed. "I hate that. But, as for Jasper, her feelings are more complicated on the subject. She...she seems like she isn't trying. Like she just doesn't care and the only reason she isn't attacking us is because the Gems would stop her...but Jasper _is_ trying..."

Connie cocked her head. "What do you mean?"

Peridot jammed the newly straightened wires back into their sockets. "Well, Connie...Jasper loves Malachite..."

Connie's eyes widened. "What?!"

Peridot nodded. "Jasper loves Malachite. She doesn't talk about it in front of Lapis, but if you get her by herself...sometimes she'll just drift off thinking about how much she grew to love Malachite whilst being stuck as her..."

Connie was confused. "But...wasn't Jasper a prisoner in that situation? Why would she have such fond memories of it?"

Peridot stood up, brushing herself off and shaking her head. "According to Jasper...it was the best she had ever felt in a relationship. The only other truly 'loving' relationship Jasper's ever had was with Pink Diamond and, and I don't know for sure, but I don't think that Jasper ever actually met Pink Diamond before Rose Quartz shattered her. So...as sad as it is...Jasper might like Malachite so much because it's the only time she ever had that intimate of a relationship with someone..."

Connie sat there, contemplating, as Peridot went back down to the toolbox and grabbed more tools. Upon the green Gem's return, Connie posed another question. "So...are you saying that that Malachite formation might not have been an accident?"

Peridot shook her head as she screwed the panel that covered the wires back into place. "Absolutely not."

Once again, Connie was confused. "What?"

Peridot turned to Connie, a dead serious look on her face. "Absolutely not. Jasper...loves the feeling of being Malachite...but she loves Lapis a whole lot more. And...I was there...I was there for Jasper's first day here at the barn. And I got to see her and Lapis have a talk about the Malachite situation...and Jasper swore to Lapis that she _would never_ try to form Malachite again unless Lapis was comfortable with it..."

Connie nodded. "Okay...so how did it happen this time?"

Peridot sighed. "That would be a question for Garnet. She's the Fusion expert. But...if I had to venture a guess...maybe they were just both in a really good mood with one another. Steven has told me about 'Stevonnie' before. He's told me that the two of you sometimes fuse by accident. Maybe something similar happened to them..."

Connie sighed through her nose. "Maybe..."

Wanting to shift the tone, Peridot cracked a huge smile and cheered at Connie. "But! Let's get off that depressing subject for now! Cuz...guess what Connie?!'

Connie was curious. "What?"

Peridot pressed the button and the machine roared to life. Switching it from auto controls to manual controls, Peridot chuckled to herself. "We have a Faceter now!"

Connie watched in wonder as Peridot ejected the old mineral slabs from the Faceter, using it to pull a new slab from the ground. Peridot motioned for Connie to come up to the controls. "This thing is a few generations behind, but it still works pretty well. It's properly cutting the material and it seems to be taking it in pretty well."

Connie smiled. "Neat! This is really cool Peridot!"

Peridot smirked. "Hey...you wanna activate the Rendering Process?"

Connie excitedly nodded. "Yeah! Which button do I press?!"

Peridot giggled. "You press the yellow one..."

Following orders, Connie pressed the yellow button and watched as, via holographic projection, the Faceter showed her and Peridot the process of cutting a brand new Warp Pad. After five minutes, once it had taken shape, Peridot began looking around. "We should put it where it won't be easily broken..."

She and Connie both looked around, looking for a place where neither the raging beast nor her pet rhino could accidently break the Warp Pad again. Looking up, Peridot smiled. "I've got it!"

Connie glanced up in the direction Peridot was looking. "Where are we going to put it up there?"

Peridot smiled wide and activated the miniature thrusters on the back of the Faceter. "We'll put it on the roof of the barn! Jasper and I reinforced it when we were rebuilding, so it should hold the weight just fine!"

Carefully landing the Faceter on the roof, Peridot found a nice, flat stretch of tin and, very carefully, had the Faceter deposit the soon-to-be enchanted slab onto it. Peridot took a moment to regard her work and cracked a proud grin. Backing the Faceter up, Peridot activated the Enchantment Beam controls and aimed them at the mineral slab. The green Gem smiled. "Opening fire! Clear!"

Connie watched in amazement as Peridot, tightly gripping the controls and keeping her foot pressed down on the Faceter's brakes, took aim and fired the Enchantment Beam at the slab. Slowly, the mineral slab began to take on a more bluish hue. Peridot smirked as the enchantment took place. "Just a bit more..."

Finally, after another minute of continuous blasting, the now Warp Pad began emitting an ethereal blue glow. Peridot smiled and cheered. "SUCCESS! WE HAVE A NEW WARP PAD PEOPLE!"

Peridot jumped from the Faceter to check out her handiwork. Connie quickly followed, smiling happily as Peridot began to profusely pat herself on the back. "Yes! We did it! Now all we need to do is calibrate it!"

Connie nodded. "Okay. How do we do that?"

Peridot smiled and flung open the rooftop door to the inside of the barn and jumped down. "We need to use it to take a trip!"

Connie called down after Peridot. "Okay...where are we taking a trip to?"

Peridot responded by throwing Connie Rose's Sword. Shortly after, the short Gem, herself, came back up. Peridot smiled wildly and showed her iPad to Connie. "I was going to wait for Jasper and Lapis...but, with the two of them being in a funk at the moment, I assume we can handle this by ourselves!"

Connie nervously posed the question. "Handle what...?"

Peridot pulled up the contents of the Shatter Machine's Log Box on her iPad, pointing directly at the "last recorded coordinates" section. A few lines up from where the Shatter Machine had died, Peridot pointed at the series of numbers. "This is where we need to go! According to the Shatter Machine, this is the last place it was, other than near Steven's house, where there was a Warp Pad. By heading here, we should be able to see where it came from, maybe even how it was rebuilt!"

Connie cocked her head. "Are you sure we should go by ourselves Peridot? We don't really know what could be out there..."

Peridot waved her off. "C'mon Connie! Don't be such a scaredy-cat! You have that amazing sword with you and I have my ferrokinesis! We should be able to handle anything we run into out there!"

Nervously, Connie shrugged. "Okay. I'm in!"

 _Paria Canyon - "The Wave"_

Connie looked around in wonder at the rippling rock of that made up "The Wave". She had read about it in books before, most researchers called it a miracle of nature, but seeing it up close was amazing. Connie glanced over at Peridot and grinned. "Man Peridot...isn't this place beautiful?"

Peridot shrugged. "I mean...yeah, for you humans I guess..."

Connie gasped. "What do you for 'you humans'? This is a beautiful thing we're standing in Peridot! From what I've read it was caused by multiple years of water-based erosion and-"

Peridot quickly interrupted. "I don't want to kill your sense of wonder...but it wasn't water or erosion that caused this ripple pattern in the ground."

And, with that sentence, Peridot quickly ran ahead into a nearby straight. Connie speedily ran after the green Gem, a confused and annoyed look on her face. After a moment, Connie caught up to Peridot and shouted her question. "What do you mean it wasn't caused by erosion?! What could've caused it then?!"

Peridot fell somber as she pointed forward. Connie looked ahead, into the tight canyon before them, and gasped. Peridot sighed. "Homeworld Delivery Ships, Connie. That's what made the ripple patterns you see all throughout this canyon. The intense heat from the thrusters on the Homeworld Delivery ships, most likely using this canyon as a giant landing pad to make deliveries of supplies to fight the Rebellion, melted all of the rock in this canyon down to a near molten state. And, seeing as only hardy Gems like Quartz and Bismuth are able to handle molten conditions, it was most likely flash cooled, forming the rippling effect that you see in the rocks around here..."

Her mind off geography, Connie watched as Peridot quickly made her way up to the stacks of crates expertly hidden away in the secret canyon that they had wondered into. Her curiosity peaked, Connie questioned Peridot. "What exactly is in these crates?"

Peridot grunted as she forced a door to a crate open, peering inside and shaking her head. "It looks like a bunch of outdated weapons! Just a bunch of junk that couldn't stand up to Gem tech today. Old disruptor blasters, a ton of primitive handheld weapons, a few early models of Emerald Hands...mostly junk."

Jumping down from the crates, Peridot grabbed Connie's wrist and immediately began pulling the young, human girl back to the Warp Pad. Connie grunted and pulled at Peridot's grip. "Peridot! What are you doing?!"

Peridot shook her head. "Even if these weapons are old, they're still dangerous. I don't feel comfortable keeping you around here...you could really get hurt..."

Connie gasped. "Are you kidding me?! I helped you guys fight the Shatter Machine! I help Steven and the Gems fight monsters all the time! And now you're saying that these inactive weapons are too dangerous?!"

Peridot snapped back at her. "Yes! Yes I am! When we fought the Shatter Machine, we had Lapis and Jasper! And when you fight monsters, you have the Gems! And, unlike me, they all have some sort of experience with this sort of thing! They'd know what to do if something went wrong!"

Meanwhile, unnoticed, as Connie and Peridot argued, within the crates, some things began to stir. Unseen by the two travelers currently yelling at one another whether to stay or go, these weapons creaked to life and prepared to attack.

Peridot growled in frustration. Connie growled right back. "I know how to handle things if they go wrong Peridot!"

Peridot yelled back at her. "You know how to fight! How do you plan to fight if one of these weapons activates and fires on you, or cuts you, or crushes you?! What do you do then? Even if this tech is outdated, it's still deadly to your kind! And..."

Connie sighed in frustration. "And what?!"

Peridot calmed her voice and spoke clearly. "And...I don't want to be responsible if you get hurt Connie. Not only are you my friend...you're Steven's best friend...he might not like me anymore if something bad happened to you on my watch. So, please, I'm not saying you have to leave...I'm saying we should go and get Lapis or Jasper to help us. Okay?"

Connie smiled and nodded. "Okay...I'm sorry for yelling at you Peridot..."

Peridot grinned. "It's...it's fine. Let's just go and get Jasper so that she can help us decide what to do with these-"

Peridot's eyes widened as she glanced over Connie's shoulder. Falling silent and slowly backing away, Peridot quietly whisper-screamed to herself. "Oh my Diamond! Oh my Diamond! Oh my Diamond! Oh my Diamond!"

Connie was confused. "What's wrong Peridot?"

Peridot shakily stuck her finger up, pointing behind Connie. Connie nodded and, turning on her heel, she pulled Rose's Sword from it's sheath and turned to face whatever assailant Peridot was pointing at.

However, Connie was surprised as well. Quickly joining Peridot in backing away, Connie calmly asked one more question. "More Gem technology?"

Peridot, her mouth agape, nodded. And, ever so silently, she whispered out a response. "Emerald Hands..."

Connie and Peridot, alone in Paria Canyon, with no one aware that they were there, slowly backed away as the threat of four pairs of Emerald Hands descended down upon them. Their fingers curling and their fists clenching as they readied to attack the two vunerable life-forms in front of them.


	8. Chapter 8: Helping Hands

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B Team**

 **Chapter 8: Helping Hands**

Connie and Peridot both fled as fast as they could from the fleet of Emerald Hands chasing after them. Connie turned and glared at the assailing Gem tech, swinging Rose's Sword at the ever approaching fingers and managing to cleave two of them off the closest hand. But, to no effect, despite losing two fingers, the Emerald Hand did not cease following them.

Connie, feeling frantic, turned to Peridot. "How do we stop these things, Peridot?!"

Peridot shook her head and cried out. "Run faster!"

And so they did, the two of them ran as fast as their legs could carry them, just barely staying ahead of the ever clenching, ever grasping Emerald Hands. Connie growled under her breath and turned again. She shot the lead hand a glare, stopping in her tracks and holding Rose's Sword aloft. Unable to halt it's momentum, the Emerald Hand plowed into the peerless blade, getting cleaved directly in half. And, with that, Connie smirked and turned to the dead hands twin, slicing off all of it's fingers and stabbing it through the palm.

Connie, feeling slightly victorious, looked up and saw the other three pairs come right back at the two of them. Turning to Peridot, she cried out. "Run back to the crates! We can use them as cover!"

Peridot nodded, instantly complying with Connie's commands. The Gem and the young Human ran back to the crevice that they had just fled from, staying just out of reach of the Emerald Hands that still pursued them. Connie was heaving, she was quickly running out of breath. "Peridot! Please...you have to know some way to stop these things...we can't out-run them for much longer..."

Peridot turned to Connie, her face streaked in terror as the Emerald Hand's finger brushed against her back. "I-"

Peridot was interrupted, out of nowhere, by a new, fifth pair of Emerald Hands falling from the sky. The resulting impact sent both her and Connie skittering across the stone floor of the canyon. Peridot shakily got to her feet and cried out for her companion. "CONNIE! ARE YOU OKAY?! CONNIE?!"

Peridot scanned around, searching for Connie and seeing nothing. Beginning to freak out,the green Gem nervously ran her hands through her hair trying to calm herself.

However, as she began to tear up, Peridot heard Connie's voice. She looked around once more, not seeing anything. "Connie?"

Peridot was quickly answered by debris from an Emerald Hand falling from the air. Looking up, the green Gem was relieved and shocked to see Connie fighting the Emerald Hands midair.

Carefully bouncing from Hand to Hand, trying her best to maintain balance and not fall, Connie swung Rose's Sword with purpose. She had no idea where this new pair of Emerald Hands had come from, but she was unwilling to put up with it. Heaving her blade around, she took a swing at each of the Emerald Hands, trying to destroy them but only managing to nick them or, at best, deal minor damage. She couldn't attack the one she was standing on, so she had to focus on the others coming at her.

Connie grunted as she took another swing and, to her annoyance, the Emerald Hand deftly dodged. This was getting old and she was getting more and more tired. She was being forced to fight six of these things at once, and they were giving her the hardest fight of her life.

All Connie could think of, other than survival, was how if any of the Crystal Gems were here, heck, if any Gems that knew how to fight were here, this would already be over. Connie cursed herself as she wildly missed with another slash. "We should've wait for Jas-"

Connie's eyes snapped wide open as she landed on another unsuspecting Emerald Hand. "Wait...only six?! Where are the other two?!"

Fearing the worst, Connie glanced down at Peridot. The shorter Gem was standing there, staring in awe of Connie's fighting skills. She was utterly unaware of the two Emerald Hands silently floating up behind her. Connie cried out to her friend. "Peridot! Behind y-"

Unfortunately, in her moment of distraction, Connie left herself open to attack from several of the Emerald Hands. The sinister mitts both reared back and smacked Connie straight towards the ground. Peridot, her eyes wide with fear, ran forth to catch Connie, barely avoiding the two hands sneaking up on her crushing her flat. Peridot leapt up and grabbed Connie from the air, pulling the roughed up human close and frantically reassuring her. "DON'T WORRY! I GOT YOU CONNIE!"

Connie smiled, groaning in pain. "Thank you Peridot...I knew you'd catch me..."

Peridot shook her head, rushing towards the crates to use them as cover. " _LIAR!_ "

Just avoiding being smacked, Peridot fell to the ground and baseball slid into one of the empty crates, quickly pulling the door closed behind her and Connie and taking a breath. "Okay...we're safe now...relatively..."

Connie took a deep breath and sighed it out, cringing as she felt around and came across the fresh scrape on her elbow. "Yeah...relatively..."

Connie shakily sat up and leaned herself against a wall of the crate. "I...I dropped my sword out there..."

Peridot groaned, scaling up the wall of the crate and taking a peek out of a hole that had rusted in the upper corner of it. Outside, gathered around the crate like a herd of cattle, the Emerald Hands stood. On their fingers, they stood erect and prepared for Connie and Peridot to try to escape.

Connie sighed. "Peridot...answer me please. Do you have any idea how to stop those things? I destroyed a set and two more showed up in its place..."

Peridot swallowed a lump in her throat as she descended back to the floor of the crate. "These crates look like they're built to hold one set of Emerald Hands each. So, given that there are 12 crates out there...there could be up to seven more pairs after these five. But...that's not to say that there aren't more crates hidden throughout this entire canyon..."

Connie rubbed the tender, fresh wound on her arm. It stung. "But, isn't there a way to stop them all at once. Steven told me that, before you joined the Crystal Gems, these things were your signature weapons..."

Peridot groaned in annoyance. "No! _These_ things weren't!"

Connie rolled her eyes. "Peridot. Come on! This is no time to be a technology snob! Just because these things are a bit older..."

Peridot snapped back at her. "Don't talk down to me about this kind of stuff! If there's one thing I know, it's Gem tech! And what I know about this Gem tech is that it's a couple of millenia older than me! I've seen examples of it in museums, and in older Peridots' private collections, but I have no idea how to work it! The operating system is a totally different concept from what I'm used to!"

Connie flinched back as Peridot broke into a full-on rant. "And! Furthermore! The Emerald Hands I used are at least five generations more advanced than these! And I had my _LIMB ENHANCERS_ for more steady control! AND, and this is a big AND, _I WAS NEAR THE CONTROL PANEL WHEN I WAS RUNNING THEM! I COULDN'T EVEN BEGIN TO TELL YOU WHERE TO LOOK FOR THE CONTROL PANEL FOR THESE!_ "

Peridot was in a huff. Breathing heavily, the green Gem fell onto her back. "Sorry for yelling at you. I'm really stressed out at the moment..."

Connie nodded. "It's fine."

The Human Girl wiped sweat from her brow. "So...we can assume that there is someone definitely controlling these things?"

Peridot nodded. "Yeah...Shatter Machine's and Faceter's have an auto-pilot feature, Emerald Hands don't...someone is definitely controlling all of these machines that are on the attack. And they clearly don't like us..."

 _Back at the Barn..._

Jasper sighed as she stood in front of the barn door. She had been standing there for 30 minutes. She was nervous, nervous about who she would have to face the person on the other side of the door. Several times, Jasper raised her hand up to knock. But then, she unceremoniusly dropped it. She didn't want to face her.

However, as she tried to work up the nerve once more, Jasper lost her ability to choose. The barn door flew open and, with a pep in her step, Lapis came strolling out. The blue Gem looked up at Jasper and awkwardly smiled. "Hey...Jasper..."

Jasper nervously massaged at the back of her neck. "Hey...Lapis..."

Lapis quickly skipped to the point, she didn't want to have to drift on this subject for too long. "Look...I'm cool if you're cool. So, well, are we cool?"

Jasper was silent. Quickly, she shied her gaze away from Lapis and mumbled out a response. "Yeah...we're cool..."

Lapis sighed. She looked away from Jasper, clenching her hand around her arm. Lapis knew that they were both lying. But, she didn't want to press anymore into the subject of the "M" word. It still hurt too much to even think about. "Good."

And then, it was awkward. Neither Lapis nor Jasper could think of anything to say, so they just stood there. For quite a few minutes, a pregnant pause stood in between the two Gems. And then Jasper spoke. "So...you seemed like you were in a hurry when you opened the door. Where were you headed?"

Lapis scratched her head and began to look around. "Uh...I was actually looking for Connie and Peridot. I know that Connie is pretty quiet...but I feel like Peridot should have yelled about something by now. You...haven't seen them, have you?"

Jasper shook her head. "No. I haven't seen them. But, if you want, we could go looking for them..."

Lapis looked up at Jasper and smiled. "O-okay...yeah. We could do that. As long as...you're cool..."

Jasper nervously mumbled under her breath, truly having no idea what to say. "Yeah...I'm cool..."

 _Back at Paria Canyon..._

Connie took her own peak out of the hole in the crate. She scanned the canyon floor, looking for Rose's Sword. Finally spotting it, Connie dropped back to the floor and turned to Peridot. "I see my Sword. Now...I just need to find a way to get to it without getting crushed..."

Peridot glanced up at Connie from her position, sprawled out on the floor. "Okay...well, how would you suggest we do that? And, furthermore, what would be the point? Like I said before...we have no idea how many of those things there could be...what are we going to be able to do all by ourselves...?"

Connie turned to Peridot and sighed. "We'll be doing more than we're just sitting in here..."

Peridot closed her eyes and grumbled to herself. For a long moment, there was no sound within the crate except for Peridot releasing a sustained groan. And then, once she was done, Peridot sat up. "Okay...what's your plan?"

Connie began to stroke her chin. "Well...your ferrokinesis might be useful here. There are several pieces of broken Emerald Hands laying on the ground out there..."

Peridot stood up. "Uh-huh. So, you want me to move them?"

Connie nodded. "Yeah. If you can pick up some of those pieces and surprise the rest of the Emerald Hands with them, I can run past and grab my Sword. And then, if we're lucky, I can take advantage of them being distracted and destroy a few of them...what do you think?"

Peridot squeezed the bridge of her nose. "Well, to quote Lapis, this plan sucks..."

Connie frowned. Peridot sighed. "But...it's better than nothing. I'll have your back out there...but you need to be _quick_. Okay?"

Connie nodded. "Understood. Let's do it Peridot!"

Outside the shipping crate, the Emerald Hands got back into levitating position. Waiting for their prey to come out had officially worn out its novelty. Slowly advancing forward, the Hands were prepared, they would rip that metal shell open, and then they would crack the nuts inside.

But, suddenly, as the Hands prepared their attack, the door to the crate fell open and the runty Peridot came charging out at them. The Hands charged back, but the Peridot ducked their assault. And then, to the Hands surprise, the Peridot pointed at the broken remains of their drone fellows and, in response, the remains hovered into the air. The Peridot smirked and, with a huge swing of her arms, pulled all of the Emerald Hand debris at the rest of the pack, totally destroying one of them and sending the others into a tailspin.

The Peridot stood up and jeered at the Emerald Hands as they struggled to regroup. "Hah! Take that you disgusting, broken relics!"

Connie smiled as she watched Peridot tangle with the Emerald Hands. But, she had no time to appreciate the short Gem's handling of their foes. Connie immediately focused. She glared out into the open expanse of the canyon, she saw Rose's Sword, and, wordlessly, she sprinted from the crate directly towards the weapon.

Connie slid across the ground, snatching Rose's Sword from its spot, implanted in the harsh rock of the canyon floor, and immediately ran back towards the action. Peridot was doing her best, but she was slowly being overwhelmed by the remaining seven Emerald Hands.

Connie smirked and, with a swing of the blade, immediately reduced the number to six. Peridot nodded in approval, smiling wide and using her Ferrokinesis to freeze to more hands in place, allowing Connie to cleave them in twain.

Now they were down to four. Connie and Peridot turned and nodded to one another and then ran directly at the Hands. Peridot was the first to resume the attack. Using her powers, she scooped the remains of an Emerald Hand from the ground and propelled it at the remaining four. The green Gem smiled as she watched the cloud of twisted, broken metal collide with the Emerald Hands, damaging their armor and even removing a few fingers in the process.

Her work done, Peridot laughed in the face of the Emerald Hands and ducked, allowing Connie to have the final swing. Connie smiled wide, a fierce look in her eye, and gave Rose's Sword one last heavy swing, shattering their remaining four assailants into nothing.

Peridot and Connie both fell to the ground, on their butts, and gave a huge sigh. They gave one long gaze over the field of mechanical carnage in front of them, and then they looked at one another, and then they began to laugh.

Peridot pumped her fist into the air. "We did it! We beat them!"

Connie began to cheer as well. "Yeah we did! It was awesome team work Peri! We did great!"

Both panting with utter excitement, Peridot and Connie stared at each other. And then, with a skip in their steps, they stood up and went to one another for a hug. The two of them jumped up and down, cheering at the top of their lungs. "We did it! We did it _all by ourselves_!

However, the victory party didn't last for long. As the two of them celebrated with one another, Peridot caught sight of the horizon behind them. And, in response to the sight she saw, the little, green Gems jaw dropped. Connie cocked her head in confusion. "What's wrong Peridot?"

Peridot couldn't muster up a noise. Rather, she could only manage to point. Connie quickly turned to see what Peridot was pointing at and was met with a sight that made her jaw drop as well. In the sky, over the horizon, Peridot and Connie stared in horror at the sight of at least _50 pairs_ of Emerald Hands descending from the sky.

Connie dropped Rose's Sword, staring wide-eyed in fear. "There's...so many of them..."

Peridot's lower jaw quivered at the sight of them all. "We...we can't handle that many by ourselves..."

The Emerald Hands slowly descending, making a point to surround their prey, blocking any escape. Connie, despite her fear, refused to back down. In response to the approach of the Emerald Hands, she triumphantly raised Rose's Sword into the air. It might've been a losing battle, but Connie wasn't planning on going out with a whimper.

However, the Emerald Hands didn't care. They had the two specks that had stood up to them surrounded. And they weren't getting away this time. Two of the Emerald Hands rose high into the air and got ready to strike.

Connie and Peridot both stared up at them. Connie's bravery was wavering, Peridot had a lump the size of Homeworld in her throat. They both watched as the two Emerald Hands rose higher and higher into the air. And, at the same time, they came to the same conclusion. Peridot stammered out. "Th-they're going to crush us l-like bugs..."

Connie looked around them. They were surrounded. No blind spots, no escape. The human girl looked back up at the Emerald Hands, and began to tear up as they started to fall. Dropping Rose's Sword, Connie ran over to Peridot and grabbed her into a big hug, bracing for the worst.

However, the worst never came.

Connie and Peridot both looked up and, to their relief, the falling Emerald Hands had been stopped. They were stopped by two, equally giant, hands made of water. Connie and Peridot looked up and smiled. Coming into the canyon, marching with purpose, Lapis and Jasper strode forth.

Wordlessly, Lapis summoned a huge sphere of water to her side, pulling it from a nearby lake. Jasper, equally taciturn, summoned her Crash Helmet. And then, with a screaming battle cry, the two Gems charged at the Emerald Hands that were assailing their friends.

 _Back at the Barn..._

Night was beginning to fall as the Homeworld Gems and Connie returned from Paria Canyon. And, in spite of everything that had occurred over the past couple of days, the four companions were in a genuinely good mood. Connie blushed as Peridot regaled the other two Gems with tales of Connie's exploits against the Emerald Hands. Lapis and Jasper both listened, both with slight smiles on their faces. "And then, and then, Connie ripped her Sword from the ground and, _SWISH_ , she swung it at the Emerald Hands and cut them all out of the air! It was incredible!"

Lapis chuckled as she opened the rooftop hatch leading into the barn. "That sounds amazing Connie! Nice work!"

Jasper nodded. "Yeah. Impressive, especially for a human. I mean..."

Connie glanced up at Jasper. "Yes?"

Jasper sighed and shook her head. "Nothing. I'll...I'll tell you later..."

Connie was slightly confused, but too happy from all the praise to care. "That's fine! So...what are we going to do now?"

Peridot shrugged. "It's Thursday...so there's no good wrestling on..."

Lapis raised her hand into the air. "I vote we watch a movie!"

Jasper nodded. "Sounds good. I'm up for a movie. You Connie?"

Connie giggled. "I would love to watch a movie!"

As the four of them descended the ladder into the barn, they discussed what movie it was they felt like watching. Connie smiled. "I'm really into Crime Drama's lately. Do you guys have anything like those? Like a gangster movie...or maybe a movie about a Mexican cartel?"

Lapis grimaced. "I'm not really familiar with the Earth age barrier for things...but you're twelve. Would a movie that violent really be appropriate?"

Jasper chuckled. "Oh, lighten up! You're starting to sound like that Pearl in the Crystal Gems...Connie has done a lot more today that those movies could possibly show. She'll be fine! Now...I'm going to go make some popcorn. Anyone else want popcorn?"

Peridot jumped up. "I do! But I'm coming to help make it, you always put too much butter on it!"

Lapis grinned as her two barnmates retreated to the kitchen. "Heh. I guess while they go and make popcorn...I'll move the mattresses down in front of the TV."

Connie smiled at Lapis. "Okay I'll-"

" _CONNIE! ARE YOU STILL HERE?!"_

Connie's eyes widened. Lapis smiled. "It sounds like you have a visitor. You go and see him, I'll move the mattresses."

Connie nodded and, as Lapis flew up to the loft to move the beds, she went to the lift and went outside.

 _Outside the Barn..._

Connie smiled when she saw him. His black, curly hair, his chubby face, his salmon pink shirt with a bright yellow star...it could only be one person. Connie smiled wide and ran up to him for a hug. "STEVEN!"

Steven grinned from ear-to-ear and returned the hug. "CONNIE!"

The two friends collided into one another and laughed. The squeezed each other into a huge hug and held it for a full minute before releasing. However, once the hug was broken, Connie playfully jabbed Steven's arm. "Dude! Where have you been?!"

Steven nervously scratched at the back of his neck and shook his head. "I'm...I'm sorry Connie. Something out there is seriously agitating all of the Corrupted Gems that we've yet to Bubble. They're attacking people out of nowhere...so the last few days has mostly been us rushing from place to place to get them under control..."

Connie cocked her head. "Well...that's strange..."

Steven nodded. "Yeah. I know. But...I'm sorry Connie. I'm wasting our entire sleepover week..."

Connie chuckled. "No. No. It's fine. You have your responsibilities Steven. You have things that you have to handle! So, please, don't feel bad. I'm having a perfectly fun time hanging out with Lapis, Peridot, and Jasper!"

Steven grinned. "Oh you are?! What have you guys been doing?"

Connie tapped her finger on her chin, deep in thought. But then, she smiled. "Nothing much. We've just been hanging out. They gave me the tour of their home. And...uh...I've been helping them build onto it. And Jasper introduced me to her pet rhino!"

Steven laughed. "Well...at least you're having a good time...I promise I'll make this up to you Connie..."

As Steven's smile quickly melted into a frown, Connie grabbed him into a big hug. "No reason to be sad, Steven. Everything is fine. You go do your thing, and I'll stay here and keep the 3 of them company. Okay?"

Steven nodded. "Okay. We'll hang out when I'm done then. It shouldn't be that much longer..."

Connie nodded. "Gotcha. See ya later Steven!"

Steven nodded and smiled as he walked away. "Yeah. See ya later!"

Connie watched as Steven crawled into his Dad's van and it drove off. And then, once the van was safely out of sight, Connie retreated back into the barn.

 _Inside the Barn..._

Connie leapt off the loft and down to the mattresses below. "So, what movie are we going to watch?"

The three Gems remained silent. Connie questioned again, this time more nervously. "Uh...is something wrong guys?"

Lapis turned to Connie. "We heard your conversation with Steven..."

Connie shifted nervously. "What about it?"

Jasper grunted. "Well...you didn't tell him. You had the opportunity to tell Rose's Spawn all about what's been happening with the Gem tech that's been running rampant, to pull the Crystal Gems into our business, and you didn't..."

Connie looked around. Peridot, Lapis, and Jasper's eyes were all on her. Connie cleared her throat and faintly smiled. "Well...I promised you guys that I wouldn't say anything, didn't I?"

The other Gems appeared taken aback. Connie's answer to their query was so candid. The young Human smiled. "And, well, I plan to keep my promise to you guys. We've been handling ourselves just fine without the Gems. So, I didn't see any reason to bother Steven with anything extra. He's...really busy after all..."

Jasper, Peridot, and Lapis all looked at one another. And then, they smiled. Connie, tired out from a long day, borrowed one of Peridot's pillows and leaned up against Jasper. "Now...I'm feeling really tired. And I would like to watch a movie. So, please, pass the popcorn and turn one on..."

Jasper complied, passing the bowl of popcorn to Connie and clicking over to a movie channel. For the rest of the night, the three Homeworld Gems and Connie laid there, on the Gem's luxurious bed, and watched a movie together.


	9. Chapter 9:Jasper's School of Hard Knocks

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B Team**

 **Chapter 9: Jasper's School of Hard Knocks**

Connie shifted around in her spot on the bed. Nestled underneath a spare comforter that Lapis had found, Connie was the most comfortable that she had ever been at the Barn. Connie nuzzled her head deeper into her pillow and sighed, completely content.

However, something was bothering her.

It was weird, the spot she was in was perfect. She was curled into her spot on the mattress like a giant, spoiled cat. All the Gem tech in the world couldn't force her from it. Connie shifted and thrashed and grunted, trying to make the uneasy feeling go away, but to no avail.

Sighing to herself, the human girl slowly cracked open her eyes, not wanting to let too much daylight in at once. But, to Connie's shock, when her vision cleared through barely cracked pupils, she saw an absolutely shocking sight.

Connie's eyes snapped open and she stared directly into the pair of bright yellow eyes in front of her. The human girl shrank beneath her comforter. "H-hello...Jasper..."

Jasper stared at Connie, a mixture of annoyance and curiosity on her orange face. "So, are you awake now? Because...this is the fifth time you've either opened your eyes or talked in your sleep..."

Connie sat up, rubbing her hand over her eyes. "How long have you been watching me sleep?!"

Jasper picked up a nearby clock and read the time. "Uh...about 5 hours. I came back from our little trip to the weapons cache and...I was curious..."

Connie looked up at Jasper, a confused expression on her face. "Curious about what? Did I do something to upset you?"

Jasper shook her head. "No. No. Nothing like that. It's just...Peridot..."

Connie sat up, crossing her legs into a sitting position. "What about Peridot?"

Jasper flinched back. "Uh...I was interested in some of the stuff she was saying. She...uh...she told the story about you fighting the Emerald Hands again. And she told us about how you spend your time when you're around going on missions with the Crystal Gems...and training to learn how to fight..."

Connie nodded. "Yeah. I'm...getting slightly better. Little by little...but the only time I've really been helpful in a real fight so far was as a part of Stevonnie, as you most likely remember..."

Jasper frowned and rubbed the side of her head. "Yeah. I remember."

An awkward silence fell over the room. Connie stared up at Jasper and Jasper stared away in embarassment. After a moment, Connie broke the silence. "So...did you want something? Or did you just come here to complement me?"

Jasper looked back at Connie. The hulking Gem looked down and saw an interested sparkle in the young humans eyes. After a moment, Jasper cracked a smile. And then, to Connie's surprise, the orange Gem began to chuckle under her breath. "I just came to make you an offer..."

Connie parroted Jasper's words. "An offer?"

Jasper nodded. "Yeah. An offer. Ya see, Lapis asked me to go take care of all of the weapons in that canyon. So...I wanted to see if you'd like to come and keep me company while I smash 'em."

Connie was shocked. "You...want me to come keep you company?"

Jasper nodded. "Yeah. Well...that and..."

Connie smiled. "And what?"

Jasper snickered. "You'll see...if you choose to join me out at the canyon..."

And, with that, Jasper stood up. "Here brat. Take this."

Jasper reached into her pocket and pulled out a Warp Pad whistle. "If you're curious, bring Rose Quartz's Sword and meet me at the canyon. I promise...you won't regret it..."

Jasper shot one last sadistic smirk at Connie, and then she left. The brutish Quartz scaled the ladder leading to the roof. Connie called out after her. "Jasper! Come on! Is that all you have to say?! You aren't going to tell me anything else?"

Jasper popped her head back down through the rooftop hatch. "Well...I do have one other thing. When you come, bring me some donuts and energy drinks! I'm feeling peckish..."

Connie sat in the bed, flustered and confused as Jasper took her leave. As much as Connie was nervous to be alone with the larger, more aggressive Gem, she was also curious as to what Jasper was offering for her showing up. Connie turned and looked back at the Homeworld Gems' kitchen and began to stroke her chin. She would have to put some serious thought into this.

 _Paria Canyon..._

Decked out in her training gear, Rose's Sword strapped to her back, a box of donuts and a six pack of energy drinks tucked under her arm, Connie nervously walked back towards the same canyon she had just barely escaped from the day prior.

Despite her better instincts screaming that this was a bad idea, especially without the supervision of Lapis or Peridot, Connie's curiosity got the better of her. And, near immediately, she began to question whether that curiosity would be the death of her.

As Connie walked into the canyon, she was met with, to her shock, a huge piece of Gem machinery sailed by her and collided with the rock wall to her right. As the busted machine fell to the ground, Connie looked up at the Gem that had tossed it.

Jasper, with a wicked grin spread over her face, threw another piece of Gem machinery to the ground and immediately dropped a huge flying elbow onto it. But, as she pulled herself out of the wreckage of the former weapon, Jasper looked over, having finally noticed Connie, and smiled. "Connie! You came!"

Connie nodded. "Yeah. I...I brought you your donuts and drinks..."

Jasper quickly walked over to Connie, taking the drinks and donuts from her and smiling. "Thank you. We can talk more about that other thing in a minute...I just want to eat really quickly..."

Connie watched as Jasper greedily piled the donuts in her mouth, quickly following it up by dumping the six cans of energy drink into her mouth. As Jasper sloppily shoveled the food into her mouth, Connie cocked her head in confusion.

Noticing this confused gaze from the corner of her eye, Jasper took a break from eating and turned to Connie. "What?! What is it?!"

Connie scratched at the back of her head. "Uh...I have a question. I hope it doesn't offend you..."

Jasper grunted. "What?!"

Connie flinched. "Uh...I was just wondering when the three of you started eating? And...well...why? According to the Crystal Gems, your kind doesn't need to eat. And I know the only reason Amethyst does it is for fun or out of boredom, so why do you, Lapis, and Peridot just eat now?"

Jasper belched and crumpled up the remaining trash in her hands. "Well, you just said it yourself. Boredom. We can only sit around the Barn, _not doing anything_ , for so long before we start to look for hobbies. Eating has just become a hobby..."

Connie nodded. "Oh, I see..."

Suddenly, to Connie's shock, Jasper's face quickly morphed back into her sadistic grin. "But...luckily for me, I won't be bored today!"

Connie took a trepidacious step back. "Heh. That sounds cool. How will you be spending your time?"

Jasper smiled down at Connie, eyeing Rose's Sword and smirking. "Well...if you're up for it, I would be willing to spar with you. It would give you a chance to fight against an opponent who wouldn't be holding back! You could see how well you measure up to that Sword that you're holding. And...you could give me a person to train with that I could stand training with..."

Connie stared at Jasper's face, taking note of the Gem's seeming glee at the thought of sparring with her. Connie sighed and asked another question. "But...you have the other Gems you could be sparring with. Why not try with them? They could give you a better fight than I could..."

Jasper scowled. "Lapis and Peridot don't like to fight unless they have to. And...I butt heads with the Fusion, the Pearl, and the Workhorse..."

Connie cocked her head. "What about Amethyst? From what I understand, having talked with Steven, the two of you get along."

Jasper rolled her eyes. "The runt is spunky. But way too immature. Unless you insult her to the point it hurts her feelings, she isn't interested in taking any fights we have seriously. So, as much as I'd like to say she's a viable partner, she's just too annoying to work with..."

Connie sighed, looking around the field at all of the broken weapons. She shuddered at what she saw. One thing was for sure, above all else, Jasper was anything but gentle.

Jasper noticed the fear clouding the human's face and frowned. "Look...if you don't want to, it's fine. I just...I thought that you might want to spar because you seem like a really focused person. I thought you'd make the perfect partner..."

As Jasper shied away, Connie took one last look around, at all the broken weapons, and the she looked Jasper directly in the eyes. "Why are you destroying all these weapons? I assumed when we first discovered these that you'd be the biggest advocate for not destroying them..."

Jasper sighed. "Before...you'd have been right. I would have jumped at the chance to get my hands on some of this stuff. But...that was before..."

Connie raised an eyebrow. "Before what?"

Jasper swallowed a lump in her throat and turned back to the pile of crushed weapons. "Before I resolved to protect this planet. Before I resolved to protect _her_ planet..."

Connie smiled as Jasper trailed off in conversation. After a moment, once Jasper had fallen totally silent, Connie spoke. "You know...when I first came to the Barn for this sleepover...I was afraid of you. I was afraid that you were the same person we had dealt with before. But...I'm glad to have been proven wrong..."

Jasper turned to see Connie slowly approaching her, her hand outstretched. "I'm glad to see that you've turned into something more than the Homeworld dominator that I had last seen you as...and I'm happy to be your sparring partner!"

 _A half day later..._

Jasper smiled a huge, wild grin. The hulking Gem reared back and slammed her Crash Helmed forehead directly in the blade of Rose's Sword. Connie smiled back, swinging and pushing the Ultimate Quartz back before charging her.

Connie smirked and swung the blade down. But Jasper, with a confident sneer crossing her mouth, grabbed the blade mid-swing. Connie gasped. "I thought this sword was supposed to be able to cut anything!"

Jasper chuckled. "That pathetic Bismuth _wishes_ she could make a weapon that could cut me!"

Jasper roared as she pulled the blade inward, snatching Connie along with it. Connie cringed in fear as the orange Gem reared back for another headbutt, pulling the hilt to Rose's Sword in front of her face and bracing herself as the impact hit.

Connie went flying back, tumbling once but otherwise landing on her feet. Connie slid back across the ground and, once she came to a full stop, hefted Rose's Sword over her shoulder, breathing heavily.

Jasper raggedly chuckled, allowing Connie a moment to catch her breath. "You have no idea how much I've missed clashing with that Sword! So many battles, so many intense, seemingly endless battles! Oh! I _hate_ Rose Quartz! But, by the Diamonds could she put up a good fight!"

Connie fell back into a sitting position. "Well...I'm glad I could help you take a trip down memory lane..."

Jasper's smile faded as Connie continued to gasp for air. "Hey...you okay?"

Connie nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine. It's just...you weren't kidding when you said this would be intense. You go much harder than Steven and Pearl do..."

Jasper smirked at the perceived compliment. "Thanks! The only speed I have is going hard!"

Taking one, final deep breath, Connie stood up. "Okay! I have one last clash in me!"

Connie hefted Rose's Sword in the air and smiled. "Bring it Jasper!"

Jasper smiled a catty grin and re-summoned her Crash Helmet. "Oh! I'll _bring it_!"

And, both of them roaring at the top of their lungs, Connie and Jasper charged at one another once more. From the left side, a young human armed with a rosy pink blade. From the right side, a flaming ball of bright orange.

As Jasper spun towards her, Connie smiled. She had come up with the perfect counter. All she had to do was put enough force behind the swing and hold the blade at the right angle and, with some luck, she could redirect Jasper straight into the rocky walls of the canyon.

Connie dodged, smiling wide as Jasper zipped right by her. "You had better try harder Jasper!"

Jasper roared back, turning around and shooting back towards Connie. "Don't tempt me runt!"

As Jasper zipped back towards the cocky human, aiming to smack into her, but not seriously hurt her. Connie smiled, it was time to initiate her plan. Swinging the Sword back as far as she could, Connie hefted it forward, wedging it into the ground at a 47 degree angle.

At the same time, Jasper collided with Rose's Sword, her momentum from her Spin Attack causing her to ricochet off the blade, flying at high speed directly into a crack in the canyon's wall. Jasper collided, sending rubble scattering all across the canyon.

Connie was grinning from ear-to-ear as she walked up to the collapsed, orange Gem. "So, what do you think of that Jasper?!"

Jasper groaned as she pushed herself up. She was planning on surprising Connie, turning and offering a quick counterattack. But, midway, Jasper stopped. The crack she had collided with had revealed a deeper schism into the canyon and, deep within the crack, Jasper could see something.

Connie tapped her shoulder. "Jasper? Are you okay?"

Jasper squinted and stared deeper into the tiny cavern that she had uncovered. "What is that...?"

Connie cocked her head. "What is what?"

Jasper didn't answer. Rather, distracted by the faint gleam within the darkness, Jasper transformed so that she could fit into the smaller cavern. Transforming into a cat, Jasper crawled into the crack and seized the object, pulling it back out with her teeth for Connie to see. Jasper, still in cat form, looked up glared up at Connie. "Hey, look at this!"

Looking down at Jasper and the device she had retrieved, Connie's eyes widened. And then she broke out into a huge grin. And then, rather than look at the machine, she immediately scooped Jasper off the ground. "OH MY GOSH! YOU'RE ADORABLE AS A CAT!"

Jasper sneered. Her right ear twiched in frustration. Connie squee'd in delight. "OH MY GOSH! YOUR EARS EVEN TWITCH! JUST LIKE AN ADORABLE WITTLE KITTY!"

Jasper growled under her breath. "Connie...put me down..."

Seeing the serious glare on Jasper's face, Connie immediately obliged. Placing Jasper on the ground and stepping back as she transformed back into her normal form. Jasper stood back up to normal height and cracked her neck. "Now then, it wasn't my cat form that I wanted you to look at. It was this."

Connie looked at the machine that Jasper had collected, curiosity streaking across her face. "What is it?"

Jasper smirked. "It's something Peridot is going to want to see!"

 _Later that night, Back at the Barn..._

Connie, Lapis, Peridot, and Jasper all sat in front of the television. Leaned back in their beanbags, microwave dinners in their laps, the four of them all relaxed together and watched wrestling. Connie watched this screen with pure wonder as she ate her macaroni and cheese. "Who is that again?"

Jasper smiled. "His name was Macho Man Randy Savage. He's one of mine and Peridot's favorites!"

Peridot nodded as she alternated eating her meatloaf and tinkering with the console that Jasper had brought back from the canyon. "I like him for how theatrical he was! Jasper likes him because his last name is the word savage..."

Jasper scowled. "Hey! It's more than that! I like his moves! He has a style that I could see using in a fight!"

Connie smiled and nodded. And then she turned to Lapis. "Do you have a favorite Lapis?"

Lapis shrugged. "I'm kinda indifferent to be honest...but...if I had to pick...I like Rick Rude. His pants are funny..."

Connie nodded. "Okay. That's cool..."

And then, for another long stretch, the four of them sat there. They all watched the TV whilst Peridot tinkered on the machine. By the time Jasper had found it, someone had busted it up. So, in order to find out what it was, they needed Peridot to fix it.

Another hour passed, and then, finally, Peridot had gotten working. "Eurek...uh...I did it!"

Lapis, Jasper, and Connie all got up from their seats and gathered around Peridot. The green Gem smiled as she booted up the console. "I can't wait to see what this is!"

The rest of them nodded in agreement, they were curious as well. Peridot stared at the screen, feeling very trepidacious, as it slowly booted up the control program. And then, once it blinked onto screen, Peridot smiled even wider. "Oh my gosh! I know what this is!"

Jasper pursed her lips. "Then...what is it?"

Peridot turned to Jasper and smiled. "This is an antique Emerald Hand control relay! It's the first in the line of transportable models! This thing pre-dates my Limb Enhancers! It's worth a lot to the right collector and-"

Lapis tapped her excitable friends shoulder. "Peridot. The point please."

Peridot blushed in embarassment. Very quickly, she nodded and got to the point. "The point is...this is a transportable control panel for the very same Emerald Hands that we fought with yesterday! And, it requires that someone be holding it to use it! So, if you found it in the canyon, then that means that whoever was controlling those things was in the canyon for the attack!"

Peridot quickly stood up. "So, if they were there, then I have a way I can track them!"

The others watched as Peridot made her way up to the right loft, pulling open her drawer and digging through it, eventually finding the device she was looking for. Peridot leapt from the loft, back to her friends, and smiled. "Ta-da!"

Jasper sneered. "What is that?"

Peridot grinned up at her hulking housemate. "This, Jasper, is a device I built to track other Gems. I wanted to have it in case I ever needed to find you or Lapis! Or, in case you ever needed to find me! I call it the Stardust Scanner Percierre!"

Connie cocked her head. "Percierre?"

Jasper groaned and rolled her eyes. "Don't ask. She could go on for hours about. It's really irritating to listen to.."

Lapis, ignoring Jasper's derisive remarks, went to get a closer look at Peridot's device. "How does it work Peri?"

Peridot smirked. "Well...if Jasper can take me to the spot that she found this thing, I can use my Stardust Scanner Percierre to scan the ground for the stardust naturally left behind by our kind. Assuming there is a big enough sample, I can then take that and use it to track whoever it is that's been attacking us!"

Connie nodded. "Wow! That's awesome Peridot!"

Peridot grinned and threw up the victory sign. "Thanks! I try!"

Lapis sighed and stood. "Okay then. Well, how about this? Wrestling is over and we've all finished eating. How about we go and find this attacker right now?"

Peridot and Connie gasped. "Right now?!"

Jasper nodded in agreement with Lapis. "Yeah. Right now!"

 _Paria Canyon, Late at Night..._

Lapis, Jasper, and Connie all watched at Peridot squeezed her way into the tiny crawl space hidden within the rocks. The green Gem knelt down to the spot on the ground where Jasper said she had found the relay and began to scan. "This will take a minute. It's telling me that there's a small trace here, but with so little to work with it'll take a moment to identify it..."

As Peridot scanned, Connie thoughtfully stroked her chin. "Hey...Lapis?"

Lapis turned to her human friend. "Yes Connie?"

Connie turned to her. "What kind of Gem do you think it is controlling all of these machines? And why do you think it waited this long to start launching attacks? Doesn't it seem like this would be something the Gems would've handled a while ago?"

Lapis shrugged. "I honestly don't know. It could be anything...maybe this Gem was hiding all of this time...maybe it was also trapped in a relic that the Crystal Gems never bothered to check on..."

Jasper grunted. "It could also be a Gem from Homeworld. After what happened the last time Homeworld showed up on this planet, it wouldn't surprise me if they started to send their more competent agents..."

Lapis sighed. "I don't care. No matter the reason they've started to launch these attacks, we'll stop them! All by ourselves..."

Connie glanced up at the blue Gem. "Lapis...?"

Lapis smiled as she stared at the Moon. "It'll be nice to get a little recognition for once..."

Suddenly, before Connie could continue her conversation with Lapis, Peridot called out. "Hey! The Stardust Scanner Percierre has picked up the results!"

Lapis, Jasper, and Connie all made way as Peridot exited the cavern. Jasper glared down at the scanner, her eyes burning with anticipation. "Great! What type of Gem are we hunting down? I hope it's a Cinnabar or a Titanite!"

Peridot calibrated her scanner and smiled. "We'll know in a moment...it's doing the final calculations right now..."

A pregnant pause filled the air as all four of them watched the Stardust Scanner Percierre flash and beep. Connie gripped her Sword. Lapis stared in quiet anticipation. Jasper grinned wickedly. And then, after a moment, the scanner let loose a ding. Peridot smiled. "It's done! Now then, the Gem we're looking for is..."

Jasper's eyes widened. "Well...that's odd. Did I make a mistake?"

Lapis cocked her eyebrow. "What is it?"

Peridot shook her head. "Well, it's weird. According to the Stardust Scanner Percierre, the Gem we're looking for is-"

 _ **STOMP!**_

 _ **STOMP!**_

 _ **STOMP!**_

 _ **STOMP!**_

 _ **STOMP!**_

Lapis rolled her eyes and groaned. "What could it possibly be now? Hey guys, do you-"

Lapis fell quiet as she studied her companions reactions. Connie looked fearful. Jasper looked disturbed. And Peridot looked ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIED.

Lapis turned around and looked at what they were looking at. And, as soon as she did, a mask of dread and confusion covered her face.

Standing behind the four of them, leering down at them, was an absolutely gigantic Injector. It's armor was the darkest black, making it barely visible against the night sky. If not for the red lights emanating from it's body, it would've looked like a moving shadow against the starry sky.

Within this horrors body, a strange, neon pink fluid sloshed about. It's tank was full to the top with it. But, strangest of all, atop the Injector's head, atop it's power crystal, sat a large, metallic control station. And, within the top mounted addition, there was a shadow clearly visible.

Lapis glared up at it. "I think that we've found our attacker..."

Connie stared in horror at the gigantic, metal monstrosity. "I've seen Injector's before, back when I went on missions with Steven and the Gems, but this thing is at least four times bigger than any of those. Do you think the attacker built this thing out of smaller Injectors?!"

Jasper violently shook her head 'no', taking a giant step backwards. Connie flinched at the absolute terror on Jasper's face. And then, the human girl begged one last question. "Then what is this thing?!"

Peridot fell to her butt and screamed at the top of her lungs. "IT'S AN OMEGA INJECTOR!"


	10. Chapter 10: OMEGA

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B Team**

 **Chapter 10: OMEGA**

The four of them slowly backed away as the Omega Injector slowly stalked up to them. Jasper growled under her breath, ready to counterattack if the thing launched an attack on them. However, to their surprise and horror, the Omega Injector didn't immediately attack. Rather, it reared up and immediately stuck itself into the ground.

Jasper's eyes widened. Connie shivered in horror as the normally boisterous Gem's voice fell to a near whisper. "Oh no..."

Looking away from Jasper, not wanting to get anymore psyched out than she already was, Connie looked up at the foreboding presence of the Omega Injector. Very quickly, she observed it's torso, watching as the level of the neon pink fluid within slowly decreased. Connie shivered, the thing looked like a giant virus, and it was clear that the Earth beneath it was succumbing to the infection as pink cracks slowly thread their way across the ground of the Paria Canyon.

The human girl turned and looked at each of her Gem counterparts, noting the pure terror on their face. "What is it doing?"

Lapis clamped her hands over her mouth. Jasper clenched her teeth, knowing that she was too late to stop what was happening. Peridot, her voice trembling, squeaked out an answer. "It's...birthing Gems..."

Connie's eyes widened as her gaze hit the cracks on the ground. "It's what?!"

And then, to the horror of the Homeworld Gems, and Connie, a hand shot up from the ground. Moaning as she emerged from the Earth's crust, the first of the newly birthed Gems stumbled forth. And then, very quickly afterwards, she was followed by dozen's of her fellows. Each of them wailed as they came from the ground, unsure of just what they were, totally deformed.

Connie took a step back in terror. And, to her horror, she took note that Lapis, Peridot, and Jasper did as well. The human girl teared up as she observed the small army of Gems in front of her. Each and every one of them was malformed and struggling to even walk. The wailed with anguish as they came closer and closer, flailing their limbs at the four terrified people in front of them.

And then, even worse, one of them fell to the ground, instantly poofing. Connie stared in terror as the poofed Gem, rather than stay down, instantly reformed, only for her Gem to crumble. As the blue dust that was once a Gem scattered away in the wind, Connie turned to her companions. "WHAT ON EARTH IS THIS?!"

Jasper responded with an exasperated roar, summoning her Crash Helmet. Near immediately afterwards, Lapis and Peridot responded in turn, summoning a sphere of water from a nearby lake and the crushed remains of several Emerald Hands respectively. Lapis swallowed a lump in her throat. "No. I'm with Connie on this! What _in the name of Blue Diamond_ is this _disgusting display,_ Jasper?!"

Connie looked up and saw the absolutely, disgustedly horrified look on Jasper's face. The human girl drawed Rose's Sword. "JASPER! SNAP OUT OF IT! WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?!"

Connie and the Homeworld Gems backed away until they no longer could. Peridot jumped and yelped as there backs collided with the rock wall behind them. The green Gem grimaced and glanced up at the orange brute. " _JASPER!_ "

Jasper shook her head, smashing her fists into her eyes. Lapis, Peridot, and Connie watched as, under her breath, Jasper began mumbling something to herself. As the newly birthed deformities inched closer and closer to the group, they all looked up at their biggest member, currently in the middle of a minor break down.

Shaking her head, Connie turned her attention to Lapis. "Lapis! What do we do here?!"

Lapis stared out at the ever advancing army of clearly beleagured Gems. They poor lot of them had no idea what their life was, all they seemed to be experiencing was pain. And the amount of rage to be expected from said pain. Lapis teared up. "I...I don't know! I don't know what these things are! They shouldn't have popped out of the ground that quickly!"

Lapis turned to Peridot and Jasper. "You two know _a lot_ more about this than Connie or I do! Would one of you say _something_?!"

In the midst of Lapis' yelling, one of the wailing Gems lunged forth, clamping her hand down on Jasper's arm. In response, the orange Gem quickly reacted with a savage headbutt, piledriving the screaming entity into the ground. Lapis and Connie both gasped in horror as the Gem poofed, and her Gem immediately crumbled.

Finally, Jasper spoke. "None of these Gems will live past the hour! _JUST AIM FOR THE ABOMINATION THAT'S FORCING THEM TO LIVE!_ "

And then, without another word, Jasper rolled in her Spin Attack and shot through the moaning crowd in front of them, crushing several agonized Gems along the way, and blasted herself directly at the Omega Injector. However, the Injector quickly defend itself by deploying two manipulating claws from it's back, using one to smash Jasper and halt her progress.

Jasper stood up and screamed in rage and terror as she was immediately swarmed by a group of malformed Gems.

As Lapis, Connie, and Peridot immediately went to the task of defending themselves from the onslaught of agonized Gems, Lapis glared over at Peridot. "Okay! The time to be rendered speechless is over Peridot! Start explaining what this abomination is! _NOW_!"

Peridot whimpered as she used several pieces of debris to send a group of the Gems stumbling back, cringing as several of their Gems just crumbled into nothing. Trying her best not to cry, Peridot shakily gave an answer. "I've...I've only read about this before..."

Lapis slapped away several Gems, trying not to watch as they all immediately poofed and shattered. "What?! What is it?!"

Peridot created some space between the Gems and Connie, allowing the horrifed human room to swing her blade. "It's...called and Omega Injector. It was created, on orders of White Diamond herself, to quickly bolster the Homeworld's army after Rose Quartz and the Rebellion overtook the Beta Kindergarten."

Connie cried out as one of the malformed Gems sank it's teeth into her arm. Lapis grimaced and pushed the Gem away, immediately trying to tend to her human team mates fresh wound. Peridot, panicking, quickly constructed a scrap wall to keep the three of them safe from the advancing threat.

Lapis glanced up at Peridot. The green Gem looked shell-shocked as she continued to explain. "The Omega Injector was built under the premise that it would be able to birth new, combat ready Gems on any sort of ground, fertile of not. It was theorized by the head of the project to be the answer to Homeworld's concerns about the Rebellion..."

Connie cringed in pain, favoring her bleeding forearm as Lapis tried her best to ease the pain, bathing it in soothing water. Connie turned to Peridot. " _THIS_ was Homeworld's answer to the Rebellion?!"

Peridot shivered, hugging her legs and burying her face in her knees. "No one ever called it the _best_ answer..."

Lapis and Connie both looked one another in the eye. And then they both turned their attention to the several arms that had already made their way through Peridot's barrier. Suddenly, to their surprise, those arms all poofed away. Hearing a familiar roared, they both watched as Jasper leapt over the barrier, landing in front of them.

The orange Gem looked furious. "It isn't the best answer! It's, by far, the _worst_ thing I've ever seen..."

Lapis grimaced. "Jasper, you're the only one who was actually around when this thing was made. Peridot wasn't born and I was trapped in the mirror... _what's going on here_?!"

Jasper sneered in disgust. "The Omega Injector's didn't do their jobs! The way they were presented, they were supposed to expedite the Gem creating process. They were supposed to rapidly construct quality, easily trainable shoulders..."

Lapis glared at Jasper. "But? There's always a _but_..."

Jasper's eyes hit the floor. "But they didn't. The Omega Injector's were used once in a battle with Rose Quartz. The only thing that happened in that battle was successfully horrifying both sides. I still remember the look on Rose's face...it was the only time I had ever sympathized with her."

Connie and Peridot's eyes widened. Connie squeezed her injured arm. "You...sympathized with Steven's Mom?"

Jasper begrudgingly nodded. "Only once. When we activated the Omega Injector's...they made Gems. But they came out _wrong_. They were malformed...hideous...in pain, all they seemed to know was _pain_..."

Jasper gripped at the pink diamond on her chest.. "And, when Rose tried to poof and bubble them...their Gems just crumbled..."

Lapis raggedly sighed. "So...you're saying that the Diamonds approved a project to make Gems that were... _literally born just to die._..?"

Jasper shook her head. "I was never proud of it. I've...it's always...I always..."

Connie stood. "Jasper?"

Jasper clenched her fists. "Unless I was directly ordered to...I never advocated use of them after that day. I wanted to defeat Rose...I wanted to avenge my Diamond...but even I couldn't stomach watching that..."

Jasper raised her gaze from the ground. "So we have to kill this thing! And I don't mean just break it, I mean we have to demolish it until it can never be rebuilt again! And then...we get whoever is controlling it! We can't allow someone who...would use that thing to be allowed to run free!"

Jasper looked around at the other three. "So...if you three will join me-"

Lapis stood and smiled. "You act like you even need to ask? Of course we have your back Jasper! Let's destroy this thing!"

Peridot nodded and stood up. Fear still clouded the green Gems face, but she eagerly summoned more debris from the broken Emerald Hands. "I...I have your back..."

Connie winced in pain as she reached out and grabbed Rose's Sword. She, with difficulty, hefted it onto her shoulder and smiled. "I'll try my best..."

Jasper, for once, genuinely smiled. It was a confident, almost arrogant smile, but still a smile. "I'm glad...I'm glad to know you guys have my back. Now, when you're ready Peridot...lower the shield..."

Peridot faintly smiled. And then, after giving Connie and Lapis one last look, she dropped her shield of metal debris and the four of them rushed the crowd of Gems in front of them.

Jasper and Connie roared as they pushed through the mob of malformed Gems. With regret streaked across their faces, they powered through the Gems, trying to ignore each Gems that they took out at they crumbled into dust. Jasper turned to Connie and barked out an order. "Connie! Breach the tank! If it loses pressure,it can't force more of the Genesis Fluid into the ground and we can stop this nightmare!"

Connie nodded, wincing in pain as her arm throbbed. "I...I'm on it!"

Connie ran up to the Omega Injector whilst Jasper focused on poofing the various Gems that lunged at the two of them. Connie swung Rose's Sword back. "Take this!"

But, the Omega Injector's pilot was prepared. Connie looked up and very quickly dodged, just barely avoiding the heavy claw falling from the air and crushing the ground next to her. Connie looked to her left and saw the other claw coming towards her, unprepared to dodge, the human girl raised Rose's Sword up to use as a shield. Connie squeezed her eyes shut and braced for impact. However, the impact never came. Connie opened her eyes and saw, to her relief, a giant, watery hand holding the claw in place.

Connie turned and saw Lapis and Peridot behind her. Lapis nodded. "Peridot! Connie! Go ahead and attack that thing! Jasper has the Gems and I have the claws, you two break the rest!"

Connie and Peridot both nodded and ran ahead. Connie turned to Peridot as they ran forth. "Peridot! I'll go after the Genesis Tank, you make your way up to the Control Center on top and take out the pilot!"

Peridot nodded. "Right! I'm on it!"

And then, Peridot and Connie split up.

Peridot smirked as she quickly got to work. Using a metal panel, Peridot easily catapulted herself into the air, flying her way up to the Control Center. Peridot barely grasped the edge of the Control Center and began to pull herself up.

Meanwhile, on the ground, Connie reared back for another slash. "Let's try this again!"

Connie swung Rose's Sword forward, but was surprised when it bounced off a seemingly invisible forcefield. She swung the Sword again and, again, it bounced off, this time with a brief crackle of electricity. Connie gritted her teeth. "You've got to be kidding me..."

Back up on the Control Center, Peridot carefully climbed her way to the top, carefully hopping her way from part to part until she reached the top. Upon reaching the top, Peridot glared over at the glass covering the inside of the Control Center. Pulling a cloud of debris up to use as a weapon, Peridot sneered. "I hope you're ready... _here I come_!"

Peridot thrust her arm forward, sending the cloud of scrap at the glass of the Control Center, smirking as she did it. The moment that glass shattered, she was going to rush in and tackle whoever was piloting this thing to the ground.

However, the shattering noise never came.

Peridot looked up, confused, and watched as all of the metal she had thrown meekly fell to the ground. The green Gem snarled. "Oh come on! How tough can that glass be?!"

Peridot marched up to the glass and smacked her balled up fist against it. Grumbling under the breath, Peridot leaned forward, hoping to get a look at who might be in there. However, all she managed to see was a distorted, slightly taller looking reflection of herself.

Peridot clenched her teeth and began to yell. "I don't know who you are in there, but we're going to stop you!"

The green Gem pulled her fist back, winding up to punch the glass. "You hear m-"

Peridot punched the glass and immediately cried out as a jolt of electricity ran through her body. The green Gem shuddered for a moment, static running all through her form, both was then launched back and sent flying off the control center. " _NNNNYEEHHHHH!_ "

Jasper and Lapis both turned as they collided into each other's backs. The orange brute and her smaller, blue comrade both grunted at one another, and then looked back at the ever growing army of Gems gathering around them. Jasper growled as she headbutted five more of them away with her Crash Helmet. "Why are there still so many of them?! Hasn't Connie broken the Genesis Tank yet?!"

Lapis breathed heavily as she slashed six more moaning Gems away. She looked over at the body of the Omega Injector and watched as Connie continued to defend herself and futily strike at the shield surrounding the Genesis Tank. Lapis shook her head. "It doesn't look like she's able to. The tank has a forcefield around it...she's probably not strong enough to break it..."

Jasper sent eight more sailing away with a heavy clothesline. "What about Peridot?!"

Lapis sliced a Gem in two with a blade made of water. "I don't-"

" _NNNNYEEHHHHH!"_

Lapis looked up just in time to see a visibly smoking Peridot fly off the top of the Omega Injector. Lapis raggedly sighed. "Peridot failed."

Jasper grunted and fell back as six of the Gems tackled her, only to punch her way back into a shaky standing position. The orange hulk looked back at the Omega Injector, noting that the tank was barely an eighth empty. Jasper sighed. "We can't do this forever. They'll overwhelm us before we can beat them all..."

Lapis nodded. "Agreed. So...what do we do?"

Jasper clenched her teeth. "Go grab Connie and meet me by Peridot. We have to come up with a new strategy!"

Lapis nodded and obliged, flying over an grabbing Connie as Jasper fought her way over to Peridot. Having retrieved their smaller friends, the four of them retreated again, this time hiding behind a shield made of Lapis's water.

Lapis fell to her butt, utterly exhausted. Annoyed, the blue Gem watched as the malformed Gems piled up against her water shield. Lapis turned to Jasper and watched as her larger comrade gently woke up Peridot. "Jasper...what are we gonna do...?"

Jasper moaned under her breath as Peridot slowly came to. "I...I don't know. That thing has been suped up much more than anything else we've dealt with so far. I don't know how we're going to handle it...it's not even half out of fuel yet..."

Lapis grimaced as she looked around. Connie's injury was being helped, at all, by being involved in combat. And, in spite of getting back up rather easily, it was clear that Peridot was running out of steam to. Lapis buried her face in her hands and thought. There had to be _something_ they could do.

Lapis pulled her face from her hands and looked up at Jasper.

Jasper, noticing Lapis's gaze, turned and stared back down at the blue Gem.

Lapis frowned.

Jasper frowned back.

And then, Lapis spoke. "Jasper...it might be the only way..."

Jasper's eyes widened. And then, she grimaced. "Lapis..."

Lapis quickly interrupted. "Jasper. I wouldn't recommend it if I didn't think it was the only way. Connie is hurt, Peridot is exhausted...Malachite might be our only way out of this..."

Jasper's shoulders slumped. She looked away, considering any other options, and then looked back at Lapis. "It's better than sitting here and waiting to be shattered I suppose..."

Lapis nodded and stood. Jasper took her hand and turned to Connie and Peridot. "Listen you two...when we do this, we need you to hide. There's no telling what might happen. So...try to stay safe whilst the rampage goes on..."

Connie nodded, wrapping her arm around Peridot to support the little green Gem. "Yes ma'am..."

Lapis and Jasper both nodded at Peridot and Connie, and then nodded at one another. And then, they danced. After a moment of twirling and dancing with one another, Lapis fell back into Jasper's arms and the Fusion began.

Peridot and Connie both watched at Jasper and Lapis melded together into one being. In an explosion of light, Malachite slowly began to take form. The Omega Injector sat there and the moaning Gems watched on as the Colossal Gem took shape. But then, with a sharp scream and an explosion that sent the hoard of wailing Gems tumbling back, Malachite fell apart.

Reacting quickly, Lapis threw up another water barrier to keep the wailing Gems out.

Jasper shakily sat up and looked over at her, once again, failed Fusion partner. Lapis was shivering in fear, tears building in her eyes, as she tried her best to focus on the barrier. Jasper shook her head. "That was a bad idea..."

Jasper slammed her fist to the ground and stood up, turning towards Connie. Jasper clenched her teeth and jabbed her finger in the human's direction. "We have no other choice...I know that you're tired and hurt...but I need you to fuse with me! _NOW_!"

Connie stared in confusion. "Uh...Jasper...I barely know how fusing with _Steven_ works. I'm not sure I _could_ fuse with you..."

Jasper shook her head. "No! Not you! _You_!"

Connie quickly moved out of the way and allowed Jasper to speak to her real target. Peridot cocked her head. But then, she smiled wide. " _REALLY?! YOU WANT TO FUSE AGAIN?!_ "

Jasper nodded as Peridot began to shiver in anticipation. "Yeah. But we need to do it now! So get over here before Lapis's powers give out!"

Peridot smiled and happily skipped over to Jasper. "Yes ma'am! Let's do it!"

Connie watched in curious awe as Peridot quickly ran over to Jasper. " _Again..._?"

Ignoring Connie, Peridot and Jasper each took their position, they each took a breath, and then they began their Fusion Dance.

Connie watched as the two perfectly mirrored one another. First they took the classic, anime Henshin pose. Peridot smirked. " _SHING! SHING!_ "

Jasper groaned under her breath. " _shing shing..._ "

And then they both twirled, making their way closer to one another as they pirouetted, only to stop and and Dab. And then, they each took a neutral stance.

Connie, having made her way over to Lapis, confusedly asked a question. "Wait, I thought they we're supposed to fuse when they were done dancing?"

Lapis sighed. "They aren't done yet..."

And Lapis was right because, out of nowhere, Peridot turned to Jasper. And then, much to Connie's surprise, the green Gem adopted a huge scowl on her face, stomped up to Jasper, and thrust her hand forward. Tightly gripping her the forearm, Peridot stood there, glaring at Jasper and holding out her hand. Jasper, meanwhile, looked uncertain, sticking out her own hand but not taking Peridot's. For a moment, it seemed as if Jasper wasn't going to take the hand. But then, to Connie's relief, Jasper relented, grasping Peridot's hand into an epic handshake.

And then, in a flash, the two fused.

The bright light from the Fusion made Connie and Lapis shield their eyes. But, after the light had dissipated, the two looked at the sight in front of them. As the smoke cleared, the object came into view. It was not a Gem, but a giant, orange and green sphere. Connie cocked her head. "Lapis...what is that?!"

Lapis smiled as the sphere began to stir. "That, Connie, is _Ammolite_."

And finally, to Connie's surprise, the sphere shot into the air, quickly unraveling itself. Connie watched as the new Fusion burst forth from her shell and roared at the top of her lungs. " _OH YEAHHHHHHHHH!_ "

Connie's jaw dropped as Ammolite landed on the ground. The Fusion was quite a display. Six muscular arms erupted from the Fusion's gigantic frame, which sat atop two equally muscled legs. Ammolite's skin was a mixture of colors, green skin with burnt orange stripes running all across her body. Her outfit consisted of a pair of bright orange pants covered with dark green stars. Her feet were housed in a pair of black wrestling boots. She had wrist bands on each of her six wrists, all of them dark green with orange stars wrapping around them. But, by far, the most distinct part of Ammolite's ensemble was what she was wearing on her head. Over Ammolite's eyes was a bright green visor, shaped like a pair of sunglasses, resting atop her green and orange crystal nose. Atop her head was a bandana, black with orange and green stripes running across it. And, atop that bandana, was a mighty crown made of an orange and green verison of Jasper's crash helmet. Hanging off the back of that, a green and orange carapace that vaguely resembled a cape.

All in all, Ammolite looked like a giant, flashy professional wrestler.

Connie stared in awe at the new "Giant Woman" that towered over her and Lapis. Still in shock, she stuttered out a query. "When...when did this happen?"

Lapis smiled. "A while ago. A little after Jasper moved into the Barn and we started to bond."

Lapis turned to Connie and smiled. "Don't worry Connie. Ammolite will take care of all of this. She's super strong and-"

Ammolite suddenly screamed out a battle cry and charged through the water barrier, trampling over the wailing Gems and tackling into the Omega Injector, derooting it from the ground. As the Injector regained itself, Ammolite stared at it with a bloodthirsty smile. "OH YEAH! _DIG IT_!"

Lapis chuckled as Ammolite cracked the knuckles on all six of her hands. "And she's super spirited. She'll _handle_ this quick!"


	11. Chapter 11: Ammolite

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 11: Ammolite**

 _ **A/N: I thank each and every one of you for reading this. I appreciate you and your reviews more than any of you know. This will be the last Chapter for...I'm going to say a week. I'm going to be getting some medical stuff done that I've been putting off for a while. So, I hope you enjoy this, and I'll be getting back to is as soon as I can..."**_

Lapis immediately grabbed Connie and spirited the human girl into a rocky cover. Connie held her throbbing arm in pain as Lapis pulled a water barrier around them. Connie glanced over at Lapis. "What's going on Lapis?!"

Lapis sighed and struggled to keep the barrier up against the onslaught of wailing Gems. "We need to protect ourselves...one thing Ammolite isn't particularly skilled at is subtlety..."

Connie turned her attention to Ammolite as Lapis struggled to defend the two of them. She watched in awe as the new Fusion began to work. Ammolite jabbed her finger at the Omega Injector and began to growl at it.

" _...let me guess...you thought that you had this victory is the bag...?_ "

The Omega Injector summoned forth six more pairs of claws. Ammolite smirked and slowly clenched her fists, cracking her knuckles.

" _...you thought that had us beat, that we'd just lay down and DIE?! oh yeah..."_

Connie stared on in confusion as the subtle growl in Ammolite's voice slowly got louder and deeper.

" _Well then! Let's have us a talk about how defeated we are, yeah. Cuz, we ain't defeated just yet...we still got a fight in us that you can't beat, machine! Oh yeah..."_

Ammolite took a single step forward, lurching her upper body towards the Omega Injector.

" _You can't beat us, cuz, ya need to know, when it comes to Fusions, Ammolite is the Peak of Perfection, ooooh yeeeaaaahhh..."_

Connie was so lost. The human girl turned to Lapis, her face practically begging for answers. "Lapis, why isn't she attacking the Injector? All she's doing it talking to it..."

Lapis smirked. "It's her way, Connie..."

Connie cocked her head. "Her way?"

" _And you think that you have Ammolite and Ammolite's friends Lapis Lazuli and Connie Maheswaran beat?! Well, let me tell ya something Injector, you have no idea just what you're in for..._

 _...the chips are down...and the anxiety is about to hit...and then, the madness is gonna FLY! Oh yeah...let me tell ya something..."_

Lapis chuckled to herself, knowing exactly what was about to happen. "Ya see, Connie, Ammolite is the perfect combination of Jasper and Peridot. She has Jasper's fighting skills and bloodlust, but she also has Peridot's flair for the dramatic...and her analytical skills..."

Connie's eyes widened. "So, what you're saying is..."

Lapis nodded. "Ammolite isn't just talking for no reason right now. She's observing. She's looking for cinches in the Injector's armor and weaknesses or blind spots. Trust me Connie, once Ammolite has that figured out, the Omega Injector is done for..."

Connie nodded and stared back up at Ammolite, watching in awe as the Fusion continued her tirade.

" _...ooooh yeaaaah...let me tell you something..._

 _YOU HAVEN'T STOOD A CHANCE SINCE YOU FIRST STOMPED YOUR WAY INTO THIS CANYON!_

 _CUZ LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING, OMEGA INJECTOR! YOU'RE GOING TO REGRET EVER CALLING THE AMAZING AMMOLITE OUT!_

 _THE MOMENT I, THE PEAK OF PERFECTION OF ANY FUSION ON THIS PLANET, FLY INTO ACTION, YOU'RE GOING TO REGRET THE MOMENT YOU EVER WOKE UP! CUZ, IF YOU THOUGHT THAT JASPER AND PERIDOT AND LAPIS LAZULI AND CONNIE MAHESWARAN WERE THE WORST THAT YOU WOULD FACE ON YOU'RE LITTLE TRIP OUT HERE! YOU HAVE NEVER, EVER FACED A GEM QUITE LIKE THE LIKES OF THE INCREDIBLE AMMOLITE!_

 _...and...as for you...the gem inside that control center...let me tell you something..."_

The Omega Injector took a trepidacious step back. Ammolite smirked a vicious smirk at it and took a step forward.

Unbeknownst to the cowering machine, Ammolite was getting closer to being ready. Behind the visor that covered her face, Ammolite's four eyes were busy at work, marking every last weakness that she could notice, using her incredible intelligence to keep track of every last weakness.

Ammolite smiled wide and took an even bigger step forward.

" _Oh yeah..._

 _Let Ammolite tell you something..._

 _...when Ammolite is done running wild all over you're dinky, little machine...Ammolite is gonna crush ya, she's gonna mash ya, she's gonna beat ya up and down and back up this canyon until your puny body poofs under the PRESSURE of the beating that 'ol Ammolite delivers..."_

The Omega Injector raised its six claws in quick defense. Ammolite took a deep breath.

" _AND LET ME TELL YA ONE MORE MORE THING! YA CAN CALL ANY OUTSIDE INTERFERENCE YA WANT TO! YOU CAN CALL ALL YOUR LITTLE FRIENDS FROM WHEREVER YOU'RE STORING THEM, BUT AMMOLITE ISN'T SCARED._

 _NO!_

 _LET ME TELL YA SOMETHING! AMMOLITE IS PEAK OF PERFECTION OF EVERY GEM FUSION ON THIS PLANET AND AMMOLITE ISN'T SCARED OF NO PUNY MACHINES OR ANY PUNY GEM PILOTING THEM._

 _AMMOLITE WILL CRUSH 'EM, SMASH 'EM, AND AMMOLITE WILL DO IT WITH A SMILE ON AMMOLITE'S FACE! AND, OH YEEEEEAHHHH, YOU BETTER BE READY, CUZ AMMOLITE IS GONNA BASH YA!_

 _AND AIN'T NO ONE BETTER AT BASHING THAN AMMOLITE!_

 _SO, YOU HAD BETTER BE READY OMEGA INJECTOR AND PILOT..._

 _...you had better be ready..._

 _ **CUZ HERE AMMOLITE COMES!** "_

Ammolite immediately rocketed across the canyon, planting her foot into the center of the Omega Injector, sending it sprawling across the canyon and into a rock wall. Ammolite laughed and rolled into a ball, using her Crash Headdress to shoot forth and smash into the thing, burying it deeper into the rocks.

The Omega Injector tried to respond by swinging its claws, but Ammolite immediately seized all six of them with her own six hands and tore them off.

Grinning like a mad man, Ammolite raised the severed claws into the air and smashed them into the armor plating of the Injector, shattering the protective casing that kept it safe from harm. Ammolite roared and immediately began to rain punches onto the Injector's upper body, cracking its tank and denting the metal casing around the Control Center.

Ammolite, turned around and screamed towards the wailing Gems. " _OH YEAH! FEEL ME!_ "

And then, wrapping her arms around the Injector, Ammolite German Suplexed it onto the army of struggling Gems. The resulting shockwave immediately caused all of them to poof and crumble.

Ammolite smirked and grabbed the Injector by its legs, giving a quick spin and chucking the machine across the canyon.

As Ammolite leapt after her adversary, Lapis sighed. The blue Gem dropped her water barrier and collapsed to the ground. "Thank the Diamonds. Finally..."

Connie turned to her exhausted friend. "Lapis? Are you okay?"

Lapis groaned as she slowly laid back. "Ugh...I think I overdid it a b-:

Connie jumped as Lapis suddenly poofed, leaving only her Gem behind. Reacting immediately, Connie crawled forth and grabbed Lapis' Gem, spiriting it into her pocket. "It's okay Lapis...take a nice, long rest..."

The Omega Injector fled for it's life. The machine and the Gem piloting it both knew that they were no match for the overwhelming force that had shown up to combat them. However, fleeing quickly proved itself to be utterly fruitless.

As the Omega Injector fled, it was suddenly struck from behind by Ammolite. Rolled into a ball, coated by her Crash Headdress, the Fusion smashed into the Omega Injector and then shot into the air. Using Peridot's ferrokinesis, Ammolite pulled all of the metal debris in the area onto her shell and shot back down, smashing into the Omega Injector and rapidly spinning to shred the armor off the metal monstrosity.

The Omega Injector shakily stood, activating the rocket boosters on it's back to tackle Ammolite, sending the Fusion sprawling to the floor.

The Omega Injector stood tall, glaring down at Ammolite and activating a laser that had been installed onto it. The machine stood there, continuously blasting Ammolite, over and over, in hopes that the Fusion would dissipate.

Connie watched in terror as Ammolite didn't move. The Fusion laid there, a look of agony streaked across her face. The Omega Injector continued to fire, not letting up on the onslaught as it continued to lay into Ammolite.

But then, to Connie's surprise, Ammolite smiled. The Fusion raised two of its arms in defense of the laser and used the other four to shove the Injector back. Ammolite stood up and wickedly chuckled. And then, her colors inverted.

Green became orange and orange became green as Ammolite wickedly chuckled and cracked her knuckles. The Injector took another shaky step and Ammolite growled under her breath. " _...oooh yeeeeahhhh...heel turn..._ "

Ammolite charged forth, poofing away her Crash Headdress and, instead, summoning six Crash Helmet's, quickly slotting them over each of her fists. And then, using ferrokinesis once more, Ammolite pulled metal debris from all around the canyon, coating her brand new Crash Boxing Gloves with metal detritus. And finally, she levied her fists into the Omega Injector.

The Injector tried to fight back, but it was no use. The violent Fusion that it was facing refused to let up. The first thing that had gotten smashed was the laser cannon, followed up by the last chunks of it's armor. And then, with nearly everything else smashed, Ammolite began to aim at the Genesis Tank.

The pilot of the Omega Injector was panicking inside the safety of their little bubble. They hadn't planned on this...how inappropriate could things get on this planet? Now Gems of different varieties were _FUSING_ with one another?! _Disgusting_.

The pilot just knew one thing, they had to escape for now. They had to retreat, regroup, and reformat. And then, they would come back and conquer these clods.

Ammolite continued to slam the Omega Injector around. The machine wasn't even attempting to fight back anymore. Ammolite smirked. " _Ooh yeahhh! Now I got your number!_ "

Ammolite pulled back two of her fists, making them tightly grip into one giant fist. She was going to knock the Control Center off of this thing and rip it's pilot out, kicking and screaming, if she had too. Ammolite let loose a gigantic roar and thrust her fists forward, only to wildly miss.

The Fusion glared upwards, anger seething from her eyes, as the Control Center hovered higher and higher into the air. Ammolite screamed into the air. " _COWARD! GET BACK HERE AND FIGHT!_ "

The Control Center paid no heed, rather, it quickly took flight away from the angry, roaring Fusion. Ammolite snarled and immediately tried to leap after the Control Center. However, the Fusion's attempted chase was brought to a halt by the Omega Injector.

The machine let loose a metallic screech and went manic. Rather than attack Ammolite, however, it tried to replant itself into the ground. Despite the desire to give chase to the pilot, Ammolite knew that she couldn't allow that thing to start it's disturbing process once more.

The green and orange Fusion leapt at the Omega Injector, hitting it with a swift kick and sending it sprawling across the ground. And then, she turned her attention to Connie. " _...oh yeah...Connie Maheswaran...where is Lapis Lazuli?! Ammolite requires her to give chase to that cowardly pilot, yeah, and catch 'em before they get away!_ "

Connie flinched back and reached into her pocket, pulling out Lapis' Gem. And then, for a moment, Ammolite's wrestling persona broke, her voice turning into a much softer version of the low growl she had been using. "Wait? She poofed?! Is she okay? What happened?!"

Connie nervously spoke. "She...she just seemed worn out. I think she poofed due to exhaustion..."

Sighing in relief, Ammolite smiled. And then she readopted her wrestler persona. " _Ooh yeahh! That's just what Ammolite thought! That's just like good 'ol Lapis Lazuli! Fighting until she can't anymore, oh yeah, she's a good Gem!_ "

Connie smiled and nodded. Ammolite turned to her and winked. " _But, listen here Connie Maheswaran! Cuz Ammolite needs your help!_ "

Connie cocked her head. "Y-yes ma'am?"

Ammolite glared over at the Omega Injector as it stood up. " _Without Lapis Lazuli...Ammolite needs someone to count the three count, ooh yeahhh! You think that you can handle the job, little human?!_ "

Connie didn't know how to react at first. But, after Ammolite turned back to her, and shot her a smile, the human girl giggled. "Oh yeah! I guarantee that I can handle it!"

Ammolite nodded at Connie and turned back to the Omega Injector. The orange and green Fusion poofed her Crash Boxing Gloves and, instead, summoned three Crash Elbow Pads on her right elbows. " _I hope you're ready, Connie Maheswaran...CUZ IT'S TIME FOR AMMOLITE TO PULL THE BIG FINISH!_ "

Ammolite ran at the Omega Injector, stopping it just before it reinserted itself into the ground. And then, with a wild grin on her face, Ammolite grabbed the machine around the center of it's body and delivered a devastating Gutwrench Suplex.

The Omega Injector was stunned, it laid on the ground, wildly wriggling it's legs. Ammolite smiled. But, she knew she had to hurry. The Fusion could feel it, she was running short on time. Taking to the highest rock formation she could, Ammolite screamed at the top of her lungs. " _OOH YEAH! DIG IT!_ "

And then, giving each of her three right elbows a solid slap, Ammolite leapt from the rock formation, delivering a devastating _TRIPLE DIVING ELBOW DROP_!

Ammolite landed, with all of her weight, on the Omega Injector's center. And then, grabbed onto its legs and pulling on them, Ammolite shouted at Connie. "NOW CONNIE MAHESWARAN! COUNT IT OUT!"

Connie complied. Running up to the panicking Injector, Connie fell to her knees and began to smack her hand against the ground. "ONE! TWO!"

Ammolite roared and screamed out the final number. " _THREE!_ "

And then, with a mighty pull, Ammolite tore the Omega Injector in half, spilling Genesis Fluid all over the ground. Ammolite stared down at the Omega Injector, hefting its severed lower half into the air and using it to smash the machine's Power Crystal.

Ammolite glowered down at the dead remains of the Omega Injector. And then, raising two of the Injector's severed legs into the air in victory, Ammolite screamed at the top of her lungs. " _OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAA-_ "

 **POOF!**

In a flash, to Connie's shock, Ammolite disappeared. The human girl looked up and saw two glimmers in the sky. Running to catch them, Connie sighed in relief as she held them in her hands. Jasper and Peridot's Gems.

Connie sighed. She couldn't blame them. She was just as tired as they were. It was 3 am and, if she were able to poof herself, she would've joined her three friends in their restful state.

Connie groaned in pain as she slipped Jasper and Peridot into her pocket. She looked down at her injured arm, it didn't look good. It was throbbing like crazy and her blood was still dripping from the bite wound she had received.

Using her good arm, Connie yanked Rose's Sword from the ground where she had left it and dragged it and herself all the way back to the Warp Pad. Reaching into her pocket, Connie pulled out the Warp Whistle and blew into it, heading back to the barn.

 _Back at the Barn..._

Connie near silently groaned as she shuffled her way to the bed. The human girl didn't even have the strength to put on her pajamas. She groaned as she crawled to her spot, pulling her three inert allies from her pocket and placing each of them on their respective pillows.

Connie groaned as she snuggled into a comfortable position. She was dead tired. And she needed to sleep.


	12. Chapter 12: The Mid-Day After

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 12: The Mid-Day After**

 _ **A/N: Okay, this was really, REALLY cool! While I was out, someone did something that I absolutely love! An artist who just so happened to be reading my story actually drew FAN ART of a character in my story! I've...never had this happen before. But, I do appreciate it! I appreciate it a lot! :)**_

 _ **So, her name of fanfiction is MyShatteredDreamscape, her deviantart account is CanvisDraws, and she drew a picture of Ammolite! That picture, by the way, you can view by copying the link below into your address bar! Just remember to remove the spaces first! XD**_

 **canvisdraws. deviantart art/ Ammolite- Peridot- and- Jasper- Fusion- 632831982**

Connie groaned as she woke up. She felt so stiff, so lifeless, so groggy. The action of the previous night had taken its toll on her tiny, human body. Connie moaned in pain as she brought her arm up to her face, her wound still hurt. Connie glared at the throbbing, still partially open gash on her arm. "Oh...that's going to be infected...Mom's going to flip out..."

Connie rolled onto her back and caught a glimpse if light shining into the Barn. It clearly wasn't the light of the morning. The human girl slightly sat up and took a look at the clock in the other loft. "1:30?! Oh man...I've slept the entire day away..."

For a brief moment, Connie actually cared. But then, she sighed and fell back. She was too tired to honestly care. She was a 12-year-old girl who had just helped fight off an entire army, she had earned her rest.

Connie squeezed her eyes shut, ready to go back to sleep. But, serendipitously enough, as she was about to fall back into slumber, through her eyelids, Connie saw three, huge flashes of light. The human girl cracked open her eyes and looked around her. Connie sighed and faintly smiled. "It's good to see you guys back..."

Lapis, Jasper, and Peridot all remained silent as they took stock of their newly formed bodies. There were nearly no differences on any of them. Lapis and Jasper remained totally unchanged, Lapis still had her dress that she always wore, Jasper still had a body suit, a giant pink diamond proudly displayed in the center of her upper chest.

Peridot remained mostly the same as well. She kept the visor that covered her eyes and the black diamonds on her knees. However, where she once had had a yellow diamond on her chest, she now had a big, yellow star.

For quite a while, nearly thirty minutes, none of them said anything. Other than somelight groans from Connie, reacting to her arm wound, the Barn was completely silent.

Lapis was the first to speak. The blue gem spoke with some worry in her voice. "Is your arm going to be okay?"

Connie groaned. "Yeah...it should be fine. I just need some disinfectant. Like some rubbing alcohol, or maybe some iodine..."

Peridot chuckled. "Of course she'll be fine Lapis. I think she proved just how tough she was last night! I don't think there's another human on the planet who could've helped handle that situation like she did..."

Jasper smirked. "Yeah...she was the _Peak of Perfection_ of Human help..."

Lapis snickered and playfully reached over the jab Jasper on her arm. "Oh come on! Peak of Perfection? You aren't fused into Ammolite anymore...so you can't even blame Peridot for how corny that was!"

Jasper laughed and shook her head. "What can I say...maybe the runt is rubbing off on me..."

Connie smiled as she laid inbetween the three of them. This was the most comfortable she had ever seen these three with one another. None of them were snapping at each other, no barbs were being traded, the Homeworld Gems were legitimately just enjoying each others company. It felt...serene.

Suddenly, Connie jumped as she felt a caring hand caress over the wound on her arm. She looked over and saw, to her surprise, Jasper was looking right at her, with a slight smile on her face. Jasper nodded at Connie. "You did great last night. I mean that..."

Connie nervously smiled. "Th-thank you...Jasper..."

Jasper laughed under her breath. "I don't remember much from being Ammolite...it's all a blur to be honest, but I do remember you stepping up and taking care of Lapis whilst Peridot and I handled the rest of that mess."

Lapis nodded, pulling Connie into a hug from behind. "Not to mention the fight you put up against those poor Gems..."

Lapis squeezed Connie even tighter. "You make an awesome fourth teammate..."

Connie smiled and looked over over at Peridot, receiving a wink and a thumbs up from the green Gem. The human girl tightly snuggled under her sleeping bag comforter as her three Gem companions continued to sing her praises. Finally, Connie spoke. "Thank you guys. It means a lot that you all think so highly of me..."

The three Homeworld Gems were grinning from ear-to-ear. Connie nodded and asked a question that she had been wanting to ask since the previous night. "So...when exactly did Ammolite happen? I feel like Steven would've mentioned if he ever saw you guys fuse..."

Lapis shrugged and began to scratch her head. "A little while ago. We all got bored one day so...I don't exactly remember what lead to it, but Peridot and I were dancing and then, out of nowhere, we just fused..."

Peridot chuckled. "Yeah. It was pretty confusing when it first happened. But, eventually, I got curious and fused with Jasper. And then...well, Ammolite happened. And, we had already been watching wrestling together for a while...so I guess mine and Jasper's enjoyment of that kinda filled out her personality..."

Jasper nodded. "So, seeing a good thing in all of it, we just kept fusing with Peridot until it started feeling more and more natural to do..."

The orange Gem shifted uncomfortably. "The only real problem we have at this point is Malachite. She still..."

Lapis sighed. "Jasper and I are trying to work out all of our issues. But, it's hard. When we're melded together like that...things come up. Thing that we'd rather not think about. Things that we try our best to push into the backs of our minds..."

Connie frowned. "Is it that bad?"

Lapis nodded. "A year alone...together...is a long time to spend trapped under the sea Connie. You start to reflect on thing you wouldn't otherwise think about when the only other thing to focus on is trying to restrain someone who doesn't want to be restrained. Whenever Jasper and I go back into that state...all of those negative thoughts just come flooding back in...all at once..."

Jasper agreed. "Nothing makes you feel worse that all of that pain and self-loathing hitting you all at once. I guess the only reason it works out with Peridot is because she's so accepting of those types of things..."

Lapis smiled. "Yeah. Peri is a good buffer for all of the bad feelings. She so understanding..."

Peridot giggled as her cheeks glowed bright green. "Oh, guys...stop..."

And then, for another long moment, everyone fell silent again. As all four of them laid there, on a bed stolen from the back of a repo truck, they all felt good. Some of them for the first time in a while. They all just felt good.

Peridot sighed and took a nice, big stretch. "We did great last night. But it's annoying that we got poofed. New bodies always feel so awkward..."

Lapis glanced up at Peridot and smiled. "Yeah. But, it was worth it. Whoever is behind all of these machines just lost a really, _really_ terrible weapon. They doesn't have the Omega Injector anymore, that's a great first step..."

Lapis pulled herself and Connie closer to the other two, wrapping her arms around all three of them. Even Jasper. The blue Gem squeezed her friends tight. "We did an awesome job guys. And we didn't even need the Crystal Gems to help us..."

Lapis sighed. "And it was really awesome of you to step up when Malachite failed, Peridot. I know that that was the first _actual fight_ Ammolite has ever been in, so I appreciate you taking the chance..."

Peridot smiled, clearly touched. Jasper quickly interjected her way into the conversation. "I'm glad you were there runt. All though, to be fair, I wasn't honestly sure Ammolite would actually be effective in that situation. I mean...I know she's as strong as Malachite would've been, but I just wasn't sure she'd be able to make it through a fight without posturing for most of it..."

Connie chuckled. "Don't worry. She didn't. Nearly the entire fight with the Omega Injector was her shouting a wrestling promo at it!"

Connie pulled her arm close, favoring the injury that was still throbbing away. "But, in spite of everything, the terror and the wounds and such, this is one of the best Gem missions that I've ever been on. It was so exciting!"

Connie smiled at Lapis, Peridot, and Jasper. "I'm glad to be the Steven to your Crystal Gems,guys. For a bunch of people who don't make a habit of going out and doing things like this...we did pretty great. I'm proud of us..."

Connie yawned and, very quickly, she drifted back in sleep. Carefully, Lapis, Jasper, and Peridot got up to go about their normal daily lives. As they all sneaked away from the bed, they all came to an agreement. Connie had worked hard, she deserved her rest.


	13. Chapter 13: The Counterattack

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 13: The Counterattack**

The sun was setting low into the afternoon sky. Lapis sat in her chair, reading through a book on Earth history. Jasper, sitting in the shade of her favorite tree, enjoyed a glass of lemonade as she spent time with her pet. Stabber grunted with each stroke of his master's huge, orange hand. The rhinoceros was in a not-terrible mood. Peridot grumbled to herself as she calibrated her Stardust Scanner Percierre. She knew that she had to have made a mistake somewhere, the results just didn't make sense to her.

As the three Homeworld Gems did their thing, accepting of one another and taking care not to disturb each others activities, their fourth counterpart slumbered away. Connie tossed to and fro in the comfort of the two giant mattresses in the right loft. The bed was fine, but her arm was only throbbing and aching more and more. Eventually, with little fanfare, Connie sat up.

The human girl narrowly cracked her eyes open, ruffling her hand through the messy shock of hair poofing from the top of her head.

From across the barn, Lapis called out to her house guest. "Hey Connie! Sleep well?"

Connie groaned and shook her head. "My arm is _killing_ me..."

Slamming her book shut, Lapis sprouted a pair of wings and glided over to Connie. Carefully, the blue Gem grasped onto her friends arm and gave it a scrutinizing look. "Yeah...it doesn't exactly look good. I mean...yeah..."

Connie cringed as she looked down at her forearm. "That's probably going to get infected..."

Lapis gingerly placed her hand on Connie's back, a look of worry streaked across her face. "Is there anything we can do? There has to be something we can do to fix it..."

Connie sighed. "I'll ask my Mom to look at it when she picks me up. Until then...I guess we could try to combat any bacteria with some disinfectant spray and clean bandages..."

Lapis nodded and smiled. "Right. Don't worry. We can take care of it. I'll go get some money from the safe and get Jasper and Peridot. And then we can fly to Beach City and get you some medical supplies!"

Connie nodded. "Thank you Lapis. But..."

Lapis cocked her head. "Yes?"

Connie wearily smiled. "Instead of flying, could we walk? I could use a minute to wake up..."

Lapis chuckled as she carefully helped Connie to her feet. "Of course we can walk! Whatever you want to do, Connie!"

Connie yawned and gave a big stretch. "Thanks..."

 _In Beach City..._

The sun had set by the time the four of them had reached Beach City. It was a cool summer night. Connie and Jasper chuckled as they shared a joke with one another. Lapis faintly smiled. It really was kind of nice to see Jasper lighten up a bit.

The blue Gem turned to Peridot, noticing that her shorter teammate was still having trouble with her Stardust Scanner Percierre. Lapis sighed. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

Peridot grumbled as she adjusted the various knobs on her Scanner. "I just don't get it. No matter what I do...it keeps screwing up. I keep trying to change the vector's on this thing...but it keeps pointing back to me..."

Lapis sighed. But then, she smiled and gave Peridot and encouraging slap on the back. "Don't worry Peri. I'm sure you'll get it. You are the smart one after all..."

Peridot blushed but smiled wide. "Th-thanks Lapis..."

Peridot clicked another dial. "Yeah. You're right. I should be able to figure this out with no trouble..."

Giving Peridot and assuring nod, Lapis turned her attention back to Connie. "Hey, Connie, why did you bring that Sword of yours?"

Connie shrugged, adjusting Rose's Sword across her back. "I just don't think it's a good idea to go anywhere without it any more. Who knows what kind of contraption could show up next?"

Lapis thoughtfully stroked her chin. "I don't know...maybe a Homeworld Pump Drill Machine?"

Peridot sighed. "My money is on an out of control Comms Relay..."

Jasper snorted and laughed. "Nah, we're definitely going to get attacked by a swarm of reprogrammed Polishers..."

Reaching the center of town, laughing so hard that tears were building in their eyes, the four teammates looked around. Jasper sighed. "It's getting late. We had better split up so that we can get all of our shopping done. I'll go get the food."

Peridot nodded and attached her Scanner to her belt. "I'll go get the cleaning supplies for the barn. We needed carpet cleaner, trash bags, and dish soap, right?"

Lapis nodded. "Yeah. And, while you guys do that, I'll take Connie to the Pharmacy and get her some stuff for her arm. Let's all try to meet up at the Big Donut in about 20 minutes...maybe we can get a dozen before they close down for the evening."

Peridot and Jasper both nodded and wandered off to take care of their shopping. Lapis turned to Connie and shot her a warm smile. "Come on. Let's go get some stuff for your arm!"

Connie nodded and quickly began to follow Lapis. "Yes ma'am."

 _22 minutes later..._

Connie cringed and groaned as Lapis sprayed the disinfectant spray onto her arm wound. The human girl slammed her fist onto the table and growled. "Argh...I don't think it even hurt this much to get bitten..."

Lapis grunted and pulled Connie's arm straight. "Hold still. I'm trying to make sure I spray every bit of it..."

Peridot didn't seem to notice the struggle going on right next to her, as they all sat there in the Big Donut. She was too busy focusing on her Scanner. Jasper, however, was enjoying the spectacle. Chuckling to herself as she sat there, waiting for her donuts to arrive, Jasper egged Connie on. "C'mon human! You're telling me you're going to let a little, itty-bitty scratch beat you?"

Connie gritted her teeth as Lapis sprayed more of the burning spray onto her wound. "Shut up Jasper..."

Jasper cocked her head. "Oh? Or what?!"

Connie snapped her head towards Jasper, shooting a death glare to the big, orange Gem. "Or I'll punch you in your big dumbOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOWOW!"

Jasper snorted. "My OWOWOWOW?! I'm not familiar with that body part? Is it something that only you humans have?"

Lapis's face scrunched up. "Connie! Quit moving! Jasper! Quit being a nuisance! Sadie! Hurry up with the donuts before I have to seperate these two!"

Sadie emerged from the back room as Lapis began wrapping the bandages around Connie's forearm. The Big Donut employee's hair was ruffled, her hoodie was on crooked, and she was sweaty. Sadie gasped and set the box of donuts onto the table, taking a minute to catch her breath as the Homeworld Gems immediately pounced on the sugary treats.

Jasper smirked as Sadie took a seat at the table opposite of them. "So, Donut Girl, what were you and donut boy doing back there all that time?"

Sadie sighed. "We got a ton of shipment in today...we had to open it all and store it away so that we could get the boxes out to the dumpster before garbage day..."

Jasper snickered and ate a sprinkle donut. "Uh-huh..."

Sadie smiled and turned to Jasper. "Why do you-"

Sadie paused immediately upon seeing the huge, catlike smile on Jasper's face. The blonde human's face immediately turned five shades of red upon seeing the sultry, teasing smile on Jasper's orange mug. "No! I...I swear! We were just opening shipment!"

Jasper cocked an eyebrow. "Uh-huh..."

Sadie looked horrified. "N-no! I mean it. Lars and I aren't even..."

Jasper snickered. "Yeah. Uh-hu-"

Jasper cringed as she felt the stinging feeling of an icy hand slapping across the back of her head. Lapis sniffed and finished tightly wrapping the bandages around Connie's forearm. "Quit teasing Sadie. She's always been nice to us, even when we didn't have money..."

Jasper grumbled and went back to eating her donut. With the bandaging of her arm done, Connie grabbed a donut as well, immediately pushing the box to Lapis. Lapis took a bearclaw from the box and smiled as she ate. "So, Sadie, how have things been here lately?"

Sadie sighed and blew a bit of fringe out of her eyes. "Oh...to be honest, pretty slow. You guys didn't show up yesterday. I haven't seen Steven in the past _two_ days..."

Connie flinched. As Sadie started to get up, ready to get back to work, Connie worriedly posed a question. "Steven hasn't been in in two days...?"

Sadie shrugged. "It wouldn't be the first time he disappeared for a while. I mean, he's just up there working at the old barn, right?"

Sadie turned and saw the confused looks on the Homeworld Gem's faces. The Big Donut employee's aloof grin slipped right off her face. "You guys haven't seen him either?"

Everyone fell quiet. For a moment, no one in the Big Donut knew what to say. Despite his working with the Crystal Gems, it was very unlike Steven to just goes missing for more than a day without letting someone other than the Gems know.

Connie nervously giggled and shrugged. "Guys. I'm sure Steven and the Gems are fine. They are perfectly capable of handling themselves."

Suddenly, lightning struck and rain began to pour from the sky. Connie and the Gems all turned and watched as the ominous downpour got worse and worse by the second. Jasper sighed and stood up. "That's what most races would call _ominous foreshadowing_..."

Connie swallowed a lump in her throat and quickly shook her head. "No. That's what most species call a rainstorm Jasper. I'm positive, Steven and the Crystal Gems are fine..."

 _At Steven's House..._

Connie stared at Steven's house, utterly speechless at the horrific sight before her. Jasper, Peridot, and Lapis, the latter using her powers to block the rain, all stared on as well. None of them knew quite what to say.

Steven's house was wrecked. Most of the front of the house had been obliterated. The edges of the wood where the window used to be were singed and charred. Part of the roof was caved in and a large portion of Steven's deck was destroyed. Connie could barely utter a word. "When...?"

Jasper picked up a piece of wood and glared at it. And then, she pulled a piece of and pressed it to her tongue. "There's still a little bit of radiation on this...the attack was recent, whatever it was..."

Lapis frowned. "Well...we can't just stand out here forever. Let's...go in..."

Peridot shivered as she looked up at the wrecked house. But she nodded and quickly took lead and started to walk in.

The four of them were careful, they all cautiously walked through what was left of Steven's door, not wanting to be caught off guard be any unseen enemies or traps. Jasper took a quick glance around and saw nothing. "I think it's safe to look around..."

Peridot nodded and walked ahead of the others. "Okay. As long a y-"

" _RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"_

Suddenly, from behind Steven's couch, and attacker lunged forward with a stool, bashing it over Peridot's head and sending her crumpling to the ground. Peridot cried out as she tried to defend herself from a flurry of hits from the stool. "Ow! Stop it! NYEEEEHH!"

As the attacker raised the stool into the air again, ready to give Peridot another smack, her weapon was seized by Jasper. The orange Gem quickly spun the assailant around and snatched the stool from her. "Listen you, we..."

Jasper stared, utterly wide-eyed, at the human woman that stood before her. Her stocky frame, the burningly intense look in her eyes, the coils of pink hair hanging from her slightly bruised, chubby face. Jasper stuttered and took a terrified step back. "R-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r..."

Connie and Lapis both quickly joined up with Jasper. Connie pulled Rose's Sword and Lapis summoned a watery hand. However, they were both taken aback as well. Lapis quickly grabbed Peridot who, after a moment of grumbling, proceeded to state the obvious. "She looks like Rose Quartz!"

The pink haired woman flinched. "Wait...you're not..."

She grunted and collapsed to the ground, falling to her stomach. Connie gasped and ran up to her, immediately placing her ear on the woman's upper back. "She's...alive. But she's hurt really badly..."

Pink hair cringed and grabbed her side, wheezing as she rolled to her back. "Gah!"

Connie grasped her hand and she grunted in pain. "What happened?"

Pink hair barely cracked her eyes open. She coughed, and cringed even harder as she held her side. "I...I came to hang with Pearl. We were gonna go on a ride together..."

Lapis and Peridot both stood, listening intently. Jasper, still bug eyed, was still stuttering. "R-r-rose Quartz...that's Rose Quartz..."

Pink hair ignored Jasper. "But...as we were about to leave...a swarm of 'em showed up. Pearl, the Square One, and the two kids...they all fought, but they were getting overwhelmed..."

Pink hair coughed, shivering at the pain in her steadily bleeding side. "The Square One just grabbed them once things got to bad, and then they ran away onto that stage over there..."

Connie sighed in relief. "Good. They escaped..."

Pink hair shook her head. "Not for long...that...that woman. She...she came and tried to beat the info out of me. Stabbed me in the side with her trident...but, I didn't know..."

The stocky, pink haired girl whimpered as she clutched her side. "I didn't know...and she just left me here. Touched the stage thing and said that she knew where they went..."

Peridot stepped forth, kneeling down to pink hair. "This person with the trident, what did she look like?"

Pink hair looked up at Peridot and began to sputter. "Like...like..."

The injured human reached out and placed her hand on Peridot's shoulder. It appeared as it she was trying to use Peridot as a ballast to stand, but she quickly collapsed back down. Totally unconscious. Lapis groaned and came forth, pulling the rest of the disinfectant spray and bandages from her bag. "Connie, let's fix her up really quickly! Peridot, go check the Warp Pad for the last place that the Gems went to! Jasper, help me move her to Steven's bed!"

Jasper was still in awe. "But...she's the spitting image of-"

Lapis turned to her orange counterpart and snapped. "Not now! We don't have time for vague resemblances! We need to fix her and go to find the Crystal Gems. Whoever did this is after them. But, more importantly, they're after _Steven_!"

Lapis turned back to Connie and Peridot. "What are you all waiting for! Get to work!"

Connie, Peridot, and Jasper all nodded and immediately got to following Lapis's orders. Jasper helped to carefully pick up the pink-haired human and move her upstairs to Steven's bed. And then, Lapis and Connie quickly got to work. The Gem and human worked in tandem, applying disinfectant and tightly winding bandages. All the while, Jasper stared in utter confusion at the human's face.

Meanwhile, back down stairs, Peridot was spooked. As she worked on checking the last coordinates of the Warp Pad, she had to keep telling herself that there was no way it could be true. No, they were all destroyed. During the Rebellion, their generation died out. There was no way.

Peridot took a nervous glance at the Stardust Scanner Percierre and shook her head. "No. No way..."

Removing her mind from that thought, Peridot cracked a small smile as she pulled the coordinate memory from the Warp Pad. "Hey guys. I have coordinates. When you're done with Rose Quartz, come down here so that we can go!"

Shortly after that, Peridot was joined by her three teammates. "See?! Even the runt agrees! That _is_ Rose Quartz!"

Lapis rolled her eyes in annoyance. "No. It's not. It's a human with pink hair dye and a belly-button piercing! Now, Jasper, let it go! We have more serious matters to handle!"

Jasper glanced back up at the loft where Steven's bed was. "But...it's _uncanny_..."

Lapis groaned. "Ugh. Peridot! Warp us."

Peridot nodded. "Right!"

 _A very familiar volcano..._

The Homeworld Gems and Connie all immediately gasped as they arrived. None of them were expecting to see what they saw. Jasper, getting over her "Rose" sighting, very tersely posed a question. "Isn't this where that Bismuth lives...?!"

Lapis stared at the carnage in front of her. "Well...it was."

The three Gems and Connie all walked forward into the torn apart war zone that used to be Bismuth's Forge. None of them were expecting to find anything good as they walked deeper into the broken volcano.


	14. Chapter 14: The Real Enemy

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 14: The Real Enemy**

 _ **A/N: I'm in for a really busy day tomorrow what with being moved back to my house from the hospital and all. So, I figured that I would post this one early. I do hope everyone enjoys, your kind words and reviews are one of the few things really made my otherwise painful past few days! :)**_

Connie nervously pulled Rose's Sword out of its scabbard as she followed Jasper, Lapis, and Peridot down the the entrance to the Forge. She had never actually been here before. She only knew two things: It was built into an active volcano and Bismuth had tried to kill Steven here. And, now, here they were. The were making their way down to this place that her friend could barely describe in a comfortable tone, hoping that the Crystal Gems were some how still safe.

As the four of them walked down, Connie looked around and saw horrible sights. Chunks of rock were blown off of the sides of the mountain, clearly blasted loose by some sort of weapon. Barely existent formations of what were once Gem machines floated in the rivers of lava, slowly melting away. A _war_ had happened here.

Upon arriving at the entrance to the Forge, Connie flinched in horror. Whatever door was blocking the entrance to Bismuth's home was blown clean away. Scorch marks, most likely from a Gem cannon, echoed out across the rock wall that made up the entrance to the Forge. Whatever weapon had breached that door was huge.

The Homeworld Gems cautiously made their way into Bismuth's Workshop. Near silently, Jasper summoned her Crash Helmet. The Ultimate Quartz turned to her teammates. She gave them a silent, affirming nod. Lapis, Peridot, and Connie all nodded back. Jasper silently sighed, and then she charged around the corner.

Lapis, with her water, Peridot, with a piece of a broken axe, and Connie, with Rose's Sword, all followed her. But, much like Jasper, upon seeing Bismuth's Workshop, the three of them came to a dead halt. Peridot's jaw slightly hung open as she looked at the display before her. "What happened here...?"

Jasper poofed her Crash Helmet. "It looks like a second Rebellion occurred."

The four of them spread out, walking their way into the open space of Bismuth's Workshop, and took stock of everything they saw. Lapis knelt down to a broken Gem Battle Droid. The weapon on the Droid's chassis had been stabbed clean through, and the machine itself had been slammed down onto the floor. Lapis stood back up. "Well...I can at least tell that Pearl has been here..."

Jasper grunted as she kicked another busted Droid. "They've all been here. You can tell by looking around. The Fusion's fist print is in that wall. The runt left scorch marks all across the floor. The crescent shape embedded in the ceiling is from Rose's Shield. And, of course, this is where the Workhorse lives her day-to-day life. They were all definitely here."

Connie picked up a blade from a broken axe. "I bet Bismuth is angry...all of her stuff is smashed up..."

The human girl looked around at what had once been a tidy little workshop. Everything had been jarred or smashed in the ensuing brawl between the Gems and the Machines. Broken weapons littered the ground as much as broken Droids did. The waterfalls of lava spewing from the walls had been cracked and smashed into, the magma they spewed slowly spilling onto the floor.

Peridot stood up on the platform in the middle of the room, surveying the damage that had been done. She looked across the floor, and then she looked up at the ceiling, noticing that Bismuth's forging anvil had been tossed up and embedded into a high wall.

Jasper shook her head. "This isn't good..."

Lapis cocked her head. "Ya think?"

Jasper grumbled. "Don't be sarcastic. I'm being serious here. This place is wrecked, there are signs of a struggle all over the place, and, most importantly, the Crystal Gems are clearly _not_ here..."

Peridot nodded. "I concur. Whoever was persuing them...they clearly won out in the end. They have the Crystal Gems as their prisoner...hopefully..."

Lapis sniffed. "If the Crystal Gems were dead, their shards would be scattered all over the floor. I'm willing to buy that they were taken prisoner."

Connie frowned and sheathed Rose's Sword. "So...what do we do now? There are no signs of where they might have been taken, just that they _were_ taken. So, how do we find them?"

Jasper grunted. "I have an idea..."

The orange Gem turned to her shorter, Green companion. "You have your Stardust Scanner, use it to track down where the Crystal Gems were taken!"

Peridot frowned. "I..."

Jasper glared at Peridot. "Come on! What's the problem. You're a smart Gem, you should be able to track them down in no time!"

Peridot sheepishly looked away. "I don't know if this thing is going to work..."

Peridot turned on her Stardust Scanner Percierre, glancing down at the device as it booted up. "I mean, I tried. But, so far, it's only been..."

Peridot grunted as the device flashed to life and immediately pointed straight towards her. "It's only been pointing towards me. I must have accidently corrupted the sample from the canyon. I ruined our only way to track whoever is doing this..."

Jasper shook her head in annoyance. "Lovely. Now what do we do?!"

Connie frowned. "I hope that Steven is okay..."

And then, they all stood there. Jasper was irritated, Connie was worried, and Peridot was ashamed. Lapis, however, remained calm. The blue Gem ran her hand through her hair and sighed. She walked her way up to Peridot and placed and understanding hand on her shoulder. "Look. You might have screwed up, who knows? But, that doesn't mean that it's all over. We can still find them, Peri."

Peridot pleadingly glanced up at Lapis. "How? I don't have any way of finding more of that Gems stardust. Who knows if she was even here when she launched the attack on the others?!"

Lapis smiled. "So don't track her. This _is_ Bismuth's house, so track Bismuth..."

Peridot flinched back, clearly dumbfounded. Lapis shook her head. "I mean...you can track more than one Gem with that thing, right?"

Peridot slapped her hand onto her Gem. "I can't believe I didn't think to do that sooner!"

Lapis snickered under her breath as Jasper and Connie both gathered around. Together, the three of them watched as Peridot scanned across the floor for a suitable source of Bismuth's stardust. Eventually, Peridot smiled. "Okay! Now we're talking! I found a good sample! Now we just have to wait for it to properly register..."

Jasper rolled her eyes. "I can't believe that you didn't think to do this sooner..."

Connie and Lapis both turned to Jasper, exasperated looks plastered on their faces. And then, at the same time, they sassed the bigger Gem. "Didn't see you coming up with it."

The human and the Gem turned to one another. Lapis smiled. "Jinx! You owe me...what is it?"

Connie giggled. "A soda. I owe you a soda."

Peridot cheered out loud. "Eureka! The Stardust Scanner Percierre has picked up the the trail of a Bismuth! Assuming that it's the Crystal Gem's Bismuth...then she's at these coordinates..."

Peridot flashed the Scanner's display screen to the others. Lapis and Connie were indifferent. They didn't recognize the coordinates, they were just ready to go. Jasper, however, reacted with utter disdain. "Ugh... _of course_ they were taken _there_..."

Peridot cocked her head. "Taken where?"

Jasper immediately began to stomp her way towards the exit. "You'll see when we get there..."

 _The Wreck of the **Conquest Diamond**..._

Jasper stepped off the Warp Pad with purpose, the other three quickly trailing behind her. Lapis, Connie, and Peridot were all confused as they followed Jasper. The orange Gem had refused to answer any of their questions as she strode from Bismuth's Workshop back to the Warp Pad. She seemed...unnerved.

The three of them watched as Jasper came to a stop atop the peak of the cliff's edge. They quickly joined her at her perch and were in awe of what they saw. Planted in the barren Earth before them, sticking out of the ground like and emaciated crypt, was a positively gigantic Homeworld Warship.

Jasper grimaced at the wreck, not saying a word. Peridot and Lapis remained equally silent, not knowing what to say. Connie leaned forward and squinted at the wreck, hoping to get a better view. From what the human girl could make out, the wrecked ship in front of her was a battleship. It's outer shell was covered in time-ravaged weaponry. It was broken in half down the middle, but it was clear that the initial damage had come from something blasting through the hull, as evidenced by the way the metal and stone-structures curved out. The hull of the ship itself was interesting. In spite of the patches of rust that covered it, it was clear to make out that the ship had once been a splendorous glossy white.

Peridot finally spoke, from her postion atop a nearby rock. "Jasper...it that cannon what I think it is?!"

Connie ran up to Peridot's rock, hoping to see what she was seeing. However, when she caught sight of the structure holding Peridot's attention, the human girl let loose and audible gasp.

It was a huge cannon.

A gigantic, skyscraper sized cannon stood over the wreck of the ship. Remaining pointed at the sky from what was, presumably, it's last target, the cannon shimmered in the moonlight. The beams of soft light from the moon shimmered off of the cannon, reflecting off of its crystalline structure and making a shining, rainbow pattern on the ground. Connie stared in awe at it. "What is that thing made of?"

Jasper was blunt in her response as she began to scale down the mountainside. "Diamond."

Peridot quickly followed Jasper down the the cliff side. "So, wait, is this really the wreck of the _CONQUEST DIAMOND_?!"

Lapis pulled Connie onto her back and gently glided them both to the ground below, meeting Jasper and Peridot at the bottom. "The Conquest Diamond?"

Jasper nodded and began to lead them all further towards the wreck. "Yeah. _The Conquest Diamond_. The wreck of what used to be White Diamond's lead frigate!"

Connie cocked her head. "White Diamond? I've heard mentions of Yellow and Pink before...but there's a White Diamond?!"

Jasper nodded. "Yeah. And there's a Blue one too. Just to clarify. They're the Leaders of the Homeworld and all planets and planetoids belonging to the Homeworld..."

Connie nodded. But then she got an inquisitive look on her face. "Wait. If White Diamond is the leader of the _Homeworld_...then what is her ship doing on _Earth_? I thought this was Pink Diamond's territory..."

Jasper grimaced and tensed up. "It _is_. But...of course...you must know what happened to Pink Diamond..."

Connie nodded. "Yeah...Steven told me about what happened..."

Jasper grunted under her breath. "Well, allow me to fill you in on what happened afterwards..."

 _After Pink Diamond was shattered, it didn't take long for the other Diamonds to get involved. I remember their attitudes towards the whole situation too. Yellow Diamond and Blue Diamond were both incredulous. They didn't believe that a "lowly Quartz" could lay a finger on them. They insisted that it must have been some kind of error on Pink Diamond's part that lead to her demise._

 _But White Diamond wasn't willing to take the chance. She immediately set up counterpoints to fight the Rebellion. And she placed each of the lesser Diamonds, as well as herself, in positions that would help to quickly end the Rebellion all together._

 _Blue Diamond was put in charge of the operating centers for Homeworld. She was charged with organizing the bases and having key systems such as the Galaxy Warp installed onto this planet._

 _Yellow Diamond was put in charge of rallying and regrouping what was left of Pink Diamond's forces. In addition, she was tasked with taking care of fringe groups of Crystal Gems and developing new ways to quickly shatter them._

 _And White Diamond...White Diamond proved why she is the ruler of the Gem Homeworld. Rather than send her armies to combat the Crystal Gems, she brought the fight to them personally. I remember the first time she ever came to the battlefield. Rose Quartz was horrified as White Diamond descended down, wreathed in white light, and decimated an entire section of her forces in one shot._

 _Rose was an excellent strategist, and a charismatic leader. But she had no grasp of just how powerful a Diamond could be. Pink Diamond was the newest and youngest, just trying to get her first planet under her rule. But, by that point, White Diamond ruled MULTIPLE SOLAR SYSTEMS._

 _After that, the war raged for years across the surface of this planet. Rose and White Diamond fought back and forth, but it was clear that the Rebels were getting overwhelmed. White Diamond was winning on her front, Yellow Diamond was winning on hers, and Blue Diamond...was there too._

 _However, that all changed on the day this ship came down. After hundreds of near shatterings at the hands of White Diamond, Rose Quartz pulled a horrifying surprise victory from nowhere. She and her Rebels captured that cannon, one of White Diamond's Hard Light Ballista's. They forced the operators to call White Diamond to this valley, saying that they had captured Rose Quartz. But, when White Diamond arrived, Rose Quartz shot the Conquest Diamond from the sky._

 _And, after that, a battle waged for days. Rose and her shield and her plants fighting White Diamond and her Carbon Constructs. They traded blows back and forth and back and forth, seemingly unendingly until..._

Jasper stopped, her face breaking into a cold sweat. The orange Gem turned and glared down at Connie. Connie flinched back in fear. "Until what?!"

Jasper gritted her teeth. "Until Rose Quartz pulled out the Sword currently hanging from your back..."

 _No one could believe it as they saw it. No one. Every Gem present, from Homeworld soldiers to Crystal Gem rebels stood in utter shocked disbelief as Rose Quartz levied that blade through White Diamonds chest._

 _And a gasp echoed around the planet as they all watched White Diamond's physical form phase from existence. Rose Quartz allowed White Diamond's troops to take her Gem away, as a warning to the other Diamonds, and she left the battlefield, satisfied with her victory._

 _White Diamond didn't reform for 600 years after that. The war waged on on this planet, but the Diamonds fled. Yellow Diamond and Blue Diamond were terrified. The rumors about Pink Diamond were suddenly much more real. MUCH more real. So they stayed away. They directed the war from afar, hoping that a soldier would get lucky and that Rose Quartz wouldn't do the same thing to them that she had done to the others._

 _But, then, White Diamond reformed. And she was not willing to give Rose Quartz another chance to win._

 _She forced Yellow Diamond and Blue Diamond to return to Earth with her. And then, she lead a shatter campaign. Any Gem, Rebel or Homeworld, that was shattered was to be gathered to help form a geo-weapon, The Cluster. Prisoners of war and traitorous Crystal Gem informants were gathered together and shattered as well. It only took three years to build that weapon beneath the Earth's crust. And it was all done under Rose Quartz' nose._

 _And then, with the Cluster built, there was only one thing left to do. Or so we all thought. The Diamonds ordered us all to flee the planet. It was a lost cause and a waste of resources as far as they were concerned. So they ordered us to leave._

 _But..._

Connie raised an eyebrow. "But?"

Jasper sneered. "But the Diamonds weren't done. I don't know what they did. I don't know how it was done. But, I find it utterly despicable how little they cared. They sacrificed so many loyal soldiers. So many soldiers that had risked everything that they were for the sake of the Diamonds. But the Diamonds didn't care. They launched...whatever attack it was that they launched and they corrupted every Gem that hadn't made it off the planet at the time..."

Connie frowned, glancing up and seeing the haunting look in Jasper's eyes. "So...is that why you seem so tense?"

Jasper nodded. "Yeah, Connie, ever since I learned that the Diamonds were at fault for all of these corruptions, I-"

 **VVVVVVVOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM!**

Jasper quickly fell into a fighting stance. Lapis, Connie, and Peridot quickly followed suit. Lapis summoned a glove of ice over each hand. "Peridot! What is that noise?!"

Peridot grimaced, pulling a metal pole to herself. "I...it sounds like a bunch of engines..."

Connie hefted Rose's Sword up to chest level. "How much is a bunch?!"

Jasper took a step back, bumping into the other three. The all looked up and saw the enraged look on her face. "Hundreds of them..."

The all followed Jasper's gaze, looking up into the sky, and they saw it as well. There were hundreds of them, hundreds of flying Gem Battle Droids. Connie stared wide-eyed at the descending army of unfeeling machines. The human girl trembled as she raised Rose's Sword up. "What do we do?!"

Jasper didn't respond. Rather, she reared back, summoned her Crash Helmet, and jumped, screaming, into the swarm of Battle Droids.

 _Inside the Conquest Diamond..._

Connie groaned as she came too. The human girl could barely remember what had happened. She was in a lot of pain. Those Gem Battle Droids had done a huge number on her and the Homeworld Gems. The last thing she remembered before something struck her head was the sight of 20 Battle Droids seizing Peridot and Jasper and Lapis were fighting a losing fight.

Connie sat up and groaned even louder. Her head was practically throbbing off of her shoulders. Connie sighed and tried to bring her hand up to her head to rub the bruise that was developing where she was struck, however her hand didn't come.

Connie's eyes widened. The human girl looked down and, to her shock and horror, she was tied up. Her hands were tightly bound at the wrists with coarse rope. More rope was snaked around her upper body keeping her arms tightly pinned to her sides.

Immediately beginning to freak out, Connie pulled at her arms, trying to some how pull them free. She listened at the sounds of the rope creaking against her attempts to struggle free, but eventually, she realized that her efforts were utterly fruitless. Connie's bound form fell back and she began to take deep breaths. "Okay...this isn't good..."

Connie turned her head both ways, looking for some sort of way to free herself. She found no way to free herself, but she did find her comrades. Connie rolled onto her stomach and inch-wormed her way over to them. After some struggling, she finally reached her three unconscious friends and began to try and wake them up. Whispering to them, trying to avoid drawing attention to herself, Connie begged the three Homeworld Gems to wake up.

Slowly but surely, Lapis, Peridot, and Jasper all complied. Stirring into awakeness, each of the Gems sat up and took stock of their current predicaments. Lapis struggled in her restraints. "What are these?! I can't get loose...I can't change form...I can't _summon any water_!"

Jasper growled under her breath. "These...are restraint frames. We'd use them to hold Gems that we wanted to personally interrogate back during the Rebellion. They're..."

Jasper snatched at her bindings, trying to pull her hands free, but to no avail. "They're pretty unbreakable..."

And so, there they were. The four of them sat there, on the hovering platform where they had been left, not knowing what to do next. After a moment, Lapis opened her mouth to speak, but was quickly interrupted by the sound of another platform approaching. The approaching platform connected to theirs and Connie cried out in joy. "STEVEN!"

Steven, sitting there, bound in a restraint frame, turned to see his beloved, best friend. "CONNIE?!"

Connie and Steven crawled to one another as the rest of the Crystal Gems and Homeworld Gems stared at one another. Peridot smiled at the Crystal Gems, but the other two maintained looks of detached annoyance. On the other platform, Pearl looked concerned. Amethyst looked irritated, Sapphire looked completely calm, and Bismuth and Ruby looked utterly furious.

But, as the rest of the Gems stared daggers at one another, Connie and Steven met in the middle. Despite neither of them having their hands free, they leaned into each other for a huge hug. Steven leaned back and frowned. "Connie. Are you okay? Did she hurt you?"

Connie shook her head. "I'm...I'm okay. Just, could you please untie my hands?"

Steven sighed. "I wish I could. But..."

Steven turned and showed Connie that he, much like the other Gems, had black, spherical casings clamped over his fists. Connie nodded and immediately changed her approach. "Okay then. Then...you turn around and I'll see if I can twist those off for you..."

"I'm afraid that would be utterly pointless. I assure you, those restraints are very tightly locked."

Connie flinched. "Who's there?!"

"After all...we can't have Rose Quartz getting free..."

Connie, Steven, and the others all glared forward, noticing that the voice was emanating from that direction. Remaining silent, they watched as there captor came into view. However, once she stepped into the light, nearly everyone gasped in shock.

Standing before her prisoners, a proud, full-size Peridot wickedly grinned. The Peridot laughed under her breath, hitting a switch and flooding the entire room with light. "Sorry to say, but nothing you do will be of any use now. The Rebellion is finally over... _Crystal Gems_..."


	15. Chapter 15: Bridget

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 15: Bridget**

The Crystal Gems and Homeworld Gems all sat there, bound and secured on their hovering platforms as they watched the mysterious Peridot work. She didn't say a word to them as she walked around her control platform, flipping switches and pressing buttons, reading readouts on her control panel, but, otherwise, not interacting with them at all.

The Peridot, unlike the Peridot that they already knew and loved, appeared drastically different. First and foremost, she was taller. Much taller. She appeared to stand at least a forehead over Pearl. And her Gem remained unseen, not on her forehead like Peridot's was, perhaps hidden underneath her outfit.

As for her outfit, it was also quite different from the normal Peridot look. Rather than black and green, it was white and green. And, compared to Peridot's look, her colors were inverted. Across her chest, a giant white diamond was proudly displayed front and center. It perfectly matched with the white visor that covered her eyes. Unlike Peridot's more streamlined, rounder model, this was was squared and angular.

Finally, her hairstyle was insanely different. Rather than Peridot's slightly blonde, pyramidal hairstyle, this Peridot's hair was snow white. And it was styled into a pair of curved horns. She looked less like the goofy green Gem everyone was used to and more like the malignant space invader that she used to be.

Finally, Ruby, having reached the end of her already limited patience, began to blurt out a combination or rage, questions, and demands. " _WHO ARE YOU?! LET US GO!_ "

The Peridot ignored her. Ruby's left eye twitched. " _Hey!_ "

The Peridot continued to ignore her. Ruby staggered to her feet. " _Hey!_ "

The Peridot didn't even acknowledge that Ruby was there. Ruby exploded. " _ **HEY! ANSWER ME NOW! WHO ARE YOU?!**_ "

As Ruby began to freak out more and more, bouncing up and down like an angry little fireball, Sapphire calmly sighed. "Ruby. Please, control yourself. Getting worked up isn't going to help us right now..."

Ruby clenched her teeth and breath out a seething sigh, dropping back into a sitting position and grumbling as Sapphire snuggled up to her. Pearl sighed, turning to Bismuth and Amethyst (each trying to struggle from their restraints) and then to the Homeworld Gems (all of them seemed to be talking amongst themselves) and then to Steven and Connie (who were staring right back at her).

Pearl squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. "Steven. Connie. Are the two of you doing well?"

The two of them both nodded. Steven, looking a little guilty, asked Pearl a question in turn. "Do you think she's okay? We just left her there..."

Pearl shook her head. "I...I don't know. I mean...I..."

Connie faintly smiled. "You mean that pink-haired woman? She's fine. We found her and fixed her up before we came here. She should be resting up in Steven's bed right now..."

Pearl returned the smile, nodding at the young human. "Thank you Connie. That makes me feel a little better. Now...I suppose I should try to figure out what this Peridot's issue is..."

Pearl, on her knees, shuffled forward. Trying her best not to fall over, much harder than it would seem with her hands bound, Pearl made it to the edge of the platform and addressed her captor. "So, going be your insignia, you work for White Diamond, right?"

Finally, the Peridot spoke. A giant smirk crossed her face as her voice, which sounded like a much smoother version of Peridot's, echoed out through the room. "Why yes. Yes I do. I am the Head Science Officer for White Diamond's army: Peridot Facet-BR1D Cut-G37."

Connie cocked her head. "BR1DG37?"

Steven smiled wide. "Bridget! We can call her Bridget! You know, so we can tell her apart from Peridot!"

Bridget nearly dropped her Control Panel. "What?! No. My name is Peridot Facet-BR1D Cut-G37!"

Lapis smirked and glared down at the Peridot. "No. I agree. Her name is Bridget."

Bridget sneered at Lapis, but, unlike Peridot, did not lose her cool. Instead, she reverted back to her sinister smirk. "Whatever. Call me whatever you want to. It's not like it will matter much longer. Soon enough, you will all refer to me as Master anyway."

Bismuth's pupils shrunk. "Oh _ABSOLUTELY_ not. I'll never call one of you Homeworld stooges my Master _ever_ again!"

Amethyst chimed in. "Yeah! I agree with Bismuth! You'll have to _shatter_ me first!"

Bridget smirked. "Oh, trust me, you'll call me Master. You won't have a choice. But, while I work to get the necessary materials to convince you together, I must ask..."

Bridget pointed directly at Ruby. "Why is there such a large concentration of Rubies on this planet? Did a squad of you expendables just pop up out of the ground? How did you avoid the Corruption attack?"

Ruby growled under her breath. " _EXPENDABLE?!_ Why I outta-"

Peridot quickly interrupted Ruby. "Well, isn't that a good question?!"

Bridget sneered at Peridot. "Yes, it is a good question. That's why I asked it."

Peridot sneered back. "Well, why don't you answer first? You're an _Era 1_ Peridot. They don't _make_ you on Homeworld anymore. You must be a hold over from the Rebellion. So, how did you survive the Corruption attack?!"

Bridget shrugged. "I was foolish enough not to make it to my designated escape ship at the time. But, I knew that My Diamond would notice that I was gone. So, in order to save myself and avoid inconveniencing My Diamond, I voluntarily poofed myself, using my very own weapon, and cast myself deep into the Earth. I remained safe from Corruption!"

Jasper raised and eyebrow, listening intently to Bridget speak. Bridget sighed. "However, my calculations did not account for the Earth closing up around me while I was out. I took me a couple weeks to reform and a few millenia to dig myself out, but, about 12 Earth years ago, I succeeded. And, ever since then, I've been trying to get together the necessary parts to build myself a ship so that I would be able to return to My Diamond's spot and go back to fulfilling my place at her stead. She needs me, and she'll most likely be displeased that it took me this long to get back to her..."

Bridget sneered even harsher. "However, as I was prepped to leave this planet. To leave it to be destroyed by the Cluster, I discovered something unsavory. My scanner's detected a huge spike in Gem-based energy one day. I went to investigate the source and came upon a small human settlement near a body of water. And what, you might ask, was I so disgusted to find there?!"

Steven was confused. "What? What was it?"

Bridget turned and glared at Steven. "Four pitiful Rebels. Two of them fused together in a disgusting display of cross Gem bonding. And, most disgustingly of all, I found a human child with Rose Quartz' Gem imbedded into it!"

Steven flinched back. Connie glared at Bridget. "So, why didn't you just leave?! The Rebellion was over! Homeworld didn't care that they were here, they didn't know that they were here, _so why not just leave_?!"

Bridget shook her head. "These Rebels shattered a Diamond. Their leader poofed _My Diamond_! Their impudence can not be allowed to continue to exist...and neither can this hideous world where it all happened. You see..."

Bridget jabbed her finger in her prisoners direction. "All of you. I know that you're all the reasons that the Cluster failed its mission to destroy this planet. So that it on my list too! I'm going to finish what My Diamond started! I will subjugate all of you, and then I will destroy this planet!"

Amethyst growled at Bridget. "And just how do you plan to do that?!"

Bridget sinisterly smiled. "Why don't I show you?"

The captive Gems all watched as Bridget pressed a button on her console, lowering another platform from the ceiling. This one had a glass bubble over it. And, inside the bubble, a Gem was vaguely visible. Jasper finally spoke up. "Where did you get that Gem from?"

Bridget shrugged. "It fell from the sky a few week ago. Deactivating enforced Gem stasis."

Bridget pressed a button on her console and went to work on some unseen machine behind her as a white beam shined over the Gem in the glass bubble. After a moment, the beam stopped and, near immediately, the Gem reformed.

All of the prisoners gasped at the Gem that appeared in the bubble before them. All except for Jasper and Bismuth. The lot of them stared, wide-eyed, as Doc slowly stood up.

The confused lead Ruby looked around, clearly confused as to where she was. "Uh...where am I? What happened? The last thing I remember was colliding with an Earth satellite and..."

Doc turned and saw Bridget tinkering with her machine. "Oh! Oh my gosh! You're a White Diamond officer!"

Bridget grunted in affirmation as she pulled a wire. Doc grinned from ear-to-ear. "Oh man! That's a relief! I'm Ruby. I'm a Yellow Diamond officer. I'm...currently on my first mission since my promotion. It's not going so well. You haven't seen a Jasper, have you?"

Bridget wordlessly pointed her thumb behind her. Doc turned and gasped at the sight of Jasper, sitting on the hovering platform. "Whoa! It's really Jasper! Thank the Diamonds! I thought I'd never find you! Now...all I have to do is find the rest of my team, and find my ship, and take Jasper, and...OH MY GOSH! YOU'VE CAPTURED THE GEMS THAT WERE TRICKING US BEFORE TOO!"

Doc turned back Bridget. "That's great. We can..."

As Doc rambled on about her mission and everything she still had to do, Bridget put the finishing touches on her device. "There...I hope it works without busting a fuse this time..."

The White Diamond Peridot smiled as she pulled her project from behind her and mounted it onto the stability pole on her little platform. Bridget smirked. "You know, Ruby, I appreciate that your Gem is mounted onto the center of your chest..."

Doc smiled a cheery smile. "Oh, well thank you! You're a Era 1 Peridot, clearly a senior officer, so it means a lot to hear that!"

Bridget smiled. "Oh yes. Please, enjoy the compliment...and hold still..."

Doc's smile slightly faltered. "Uh...what is that? Some sort of weapon? Why...why are you getting that out...?"

Bridget didn't say a word, she merely worked on properly mounting her weapon, some sort of giant laser cannon. Doc took a step back. "Oh...I know! Y-you're doing that thing Yellow Diamond does, right? You're going to make an example out of one of them, right?"

Bridget grinned. "You're half right. I'm definitely about to make an example..."

Doc's smiled completely faded. "W-wait a minute! I'm...I'm on your side! I'm a loyal, Homeworld Gem too! No reason to point that weapon at me! See, see my visor, I'm on your side!"

Bridget chuckled. "Oh, I don't doubt your loyalty..."

Doc smiled. "Oh good. For a second-"

Bridget's voice lowered an octave. "But, that doesn't mean that your failures can be excused. You fell for these Rebels and their lies twice. You're useless as a soldier and a squad leader. But...I will pull one last use out of you..."

Doc's eyes widened. "What do you mean by that?! Wh-what use...?!"

Bridget flicked a switch, causing the end of the laser cannon to light up. She adjusted the cannon and pointed it directly at Doc. "I've already told you, clod, you'll act as an example to the lot of _them_..."

Bridget smiled and hovered her finger over the trigger. Doc's eyes teared up. "Wait! Can't we talk abou-"

Bridget pulled the trigger and fired her cannon, smiling as the beam collided with Doc's Gem. The other watched on in horror, expecting Doc's Gem to immediately shatter.

But then something worse happened.

Rather than her Gem shattering, Doc's body began to warp. The Ruby Commander screamed at the top of her voice and her physical form shifted and warped, gigantic volcanic craters cracking open across her flesh as flames burst forth from her eyes. Doc's arms receded into her body and she shrieked in agony, her command visor falling from her face. After a few more moments of terror, the process ended. Doc as the rest of them knew her was no more, she was now a Corrupted Gem Monster.

Bridget turned to her captives and smiled a truly wicked smile. "It took a few years...but I deduced how the Diamond's Corruption Attack works..."

Bridget snickered and hummed a cheery tune as she pressed the button opening Doc's cage. Then, as she walked up to the corrupted Gem, she summoned her Gem Weapon, a large, green trident.

The Crystal Gems and Homeworld Gems all sat there, utterly speechless at what they had just seen. Everyone, from Steven to Amethyst to Connie to Ruby to Lapis to Pearl and even to Bismuth and Jasper could only stare in shocked horror.

Bridget chuckled as she approached the clearly confused and agonized Doc. "Heh. Another success."

Connie looked up at Jasper and watched the orange Gem cringe at what came next. It was nothing much, just a quick yelp of pain, like an old dog being put down, as Bridget sank her trident into the Corrupted Doc and poofed her.

Bridget picked up her victim's Gem and chuckled. "Another one for the army..."

Amethyst spoke up. "What's that supposed to-"

Amethyst was quickly answered by Bridget pressing another button. This one illuminated the giant column she was standing on top of, which was full of hundreds of other poofed Gems. Bridget pulled a lever and happily sighed as she dropped Doc's Gem into the hole that had opened up. "Conquering this worthless planet will be a cinch..."

Bridget turned back to her captives. "Now, as I was saying. Soon enough, the lot of you will be referring to me as Master. You won't have a choice after I Corrupt, break, and train each and every one of you to follow my commands..."

Bridget poofed her trident. "But...not all at once. First, I Corrupt the Crystal Gems. And then...I handle the other four. The ones that have been screwing with my carefully laid plans for the past few days. The ones who keep breaking my stuff! The Jasper, the Lapis Lazuli, the runty Peridot, and the squishy. You get what's coming to you after I handle the others."

Bridget broke out into a laughing fit. "You three get to watch as I throw your human friend to the Corrupted Crystal Gems and watch them tear her apart!"

Connie swallowed a lump in her throat. Bridget smirked and summoned four Emerald Hands, each one picking up one of the four members of the Homeworld Group. "Now, off with you. I need time for my Corruption Beam to charge up! I'll leave you to your own business in the brig!"

Connie gasped as the Emerald Hand plucked her from her spot next to Steven. The human girl glanced down at her friend, staring back up at her, and frowned. This wasn't good at all.

Bridget smirked and pulled Rose's Sword from a compartment on her column. Pointing it at the Emerald Hands, she barked an order. "Take them away!"

 _In the Brig of the Conquest Diamond..._

The Homeworld Gems sat and stewed in their new prison, locked behind bars in a different part of the ship. Jasper glared over at Peridot. "Why didn't you say we were hunting another Peridot?!"

Peridot sneered back at Jasper. "I didn't know! I thought my Stardust Scanner Percierre had just accidently included some of my stardust in the sample it took. I never would have guessed that and Era 1 was still around. I thought they all perished during the Rebellion!"

Lapis shook her head as her two barnmates bickered. The blue Gem shifted in her restraint frame and turned to Connie. "Hey...are you okay? Is your arm hurting?"

Connie shook her head. "My arm is kinda numb. The only thing that hurts are my wrists. The ropes are really tight..."

Lapis sighed and struggled to her feet. "I wish there was something I could do to help you..."

Connie wearily smiled. "It's fine. You don't need to worry about it. We just need to find a way to get out of here and save the Crystal Gems. Does...anyone have any ideas?"

Connie was met with silence. Jasper and Peridot both leaned back, Jasper closing her eyes, as if they had just given up. Lapis shook her head. "Sorry Connie...we're all trapped. Even if we got you free, you couldn't free us. And, by the way Bridget acts, I imagine she'd just recapture you anyway..."

Connie frowned as Lapis walked over to the bars of their cage. "That was a lot of Gems that Bridget had in that column. Do you think that she Corrupted all of them?"

Peridot shrugged. "Who knows? She could've been using the past twelve years to gather them under the Crystal Gems noses. We have no way of tabulating how many Gems the Diamonds left on this planet to be Corrupted. She seems like she knows how to fight, so-"

Lapis spoke up, her voice sounding utterly hollow. "I don't think that she hunted them down..."

Peridot turned to Lapis. "What...?"

Peridot, Jasper, and Connie all stood and walked over where Lapis was standing. They stood next to her and looked out past their prison bars, and their jaws dropped. Pocked into the various nooks and crannys of the mountain side were hundreds, upon hundreds of Gem Holes. And, scouring over these Gem Holes were about a dozen Injectors. They appeared to be looking for new places to incubate new Gems. Connie's pupils shrank. "She built her own Kindergarten?!"

Jasper nodded. "It looks like it. But...where are the Gems that came out of those Holes?!"

The four of them all stood there, each individually coming up with the answer to their own question. Peridot fell to the ground. "By the Diamonds...she's...that's..."

Lapis snarled. "Pure evil. She's birthing new Gems just to experiment on them..."

The four of them couldn't take looking at it anymore. They all retreated deeper into their cage and sat back down. Jasper squeezed her eyes shut, leaning back against a wall. "We need to get out of here and stop her. What she's doing is just..."

Lapis shook her head. "But...what do we do? She has all of those machines. And that heinous weapon..."

Peridot swallowed a lump in her throat. "She's...she's going to Corrupt us. _She's going to Corrupt us!_ And we can't do-"

Connie quickly interrupted. "No! Don't say that!"

Peridot and Lapis flinched back. Connie glared at them both. "We can't just give up like this! So what if we're trapped?! So what if she has that weapon?! Or an army of Gem Monsters?!"

The human girl stood up and looked down at both of her Gem friends. "Over that past few days, we've stopped everything that Bridget has put forth. Every obstacle, every weapon, every threat, we've beat them together! So we can't just give up over one loss!"

Lapis and Peridot both looked uneasy. Connie took a deep breath. "She's beat us once. And it took outnumbering us 100 to 1 to get it done. She's got nothing that can truly beat us. And she knows that. That's why she sent us all away. She's had 12 years to study how the Crystal Gems operate, but we only just showed up last week. She's scared of us because she doesn't know us! So, all we've got to do is escape these bonds and we can beat her!"

Connie nodded at the two Gems on the ground in front of her, and then she began to strain against her bonds. "Ugh! Don't worry! I'll pull my hands free and then I'll get you out!"

Lapis watched as Connie struggled to pull her hands free. The blue Gem sighed and piteously shook her head. "Connie. Stop. You're only going to hurt yourself. We just need to wait for a better opportunity and then maybe-"

" _Screw maybe!_ "

Lapis gasped and looked up at Jasper, standing tall above her. Jasper smiled wide. "I agree with Connie. We need to do something and do it now! So, I have an idea if you'd be willing to try it Lapis..."

Lapis warily scooted back. "What? We...if you're proposing Malachite, then I feel the need to remind you that we can't fuse at the moment..."

Jasper chuckled and shook her head. "I'm not talking about Malachite..."

Lapis cocked her head. "Then what are you talkOOF!"

Lapis gasped out as Jasper slammed her foot into the smaller, blue Gem's stomach. Lapis went flying across the room, colliding with the wall hard enough to crack it and poofing in the process. Peridot and Connie watched on, utterly confused, as Jasper strolled over to Lapis's Gem and quickly kicked the restraint frame away from it.

Jasper stood there and waited, completely enveloped in stunned silence for what she had just done. The orange Gem's smirk quickly widened into a full smile as Lapis's Gem began to shine. And then, in a flash, Lapis had reformed.

The blue Gem was furious as she bowed up to her larger counterpart. " _Just what was that for_?!"

Jasper snickered. " _What_ , it worked didn't it?"

Lapis flinched back. "What are you..."

The blue Gem looked down at her newly freed arms. "Oh!"

Jasper smirked. "Yeah, 'oh', now hurry up and free the rest of us! Those idiot Crystal Gems aren't going to save themselves!"

Lapis turned to Connie and Peridot and smiled. And then she turned back to Jasper and summoned two blades of water.

Back in "Bridget's" Control Center...

Amethyst, Ruby, and Bismuth all glared back at Bridget as she lead them, at trident point, to a new hovering platform. Bridget smiled at them, a sweet, yet wicked smile. "What? Did I do something wrong?!"

Ruby clenched her teeth so hard they nearly broke. Amethyst spoke up. "You're a monster. Even if she was on the Homeworld's side...Doc didn't deserve to have that happen to her..."

Bridget shrugged as she lead the Crystal Gems onto their platform and individually locked them in place, attaching a heavy shackle to each of their ankles. "Whatever. She was an acceptable sacrifice. I'll be sure to shatter her and put her out of her misery the second I'm done with her..."

Steven gasped. "No! Please don't do that! I want to try to fix her..."

Bridget shook her head and gave Steven a lightning quick smack to the face. "Stupid thing. You won't get the chance!"

The evil Peridot grinned and clapped her hands, summoning an Emerald Hand to carry her back to her Corruption Beam. She quickly adjusted and calibrated the sinister weapon and turned it towards the Crystal Gems. "Hmmm...I think that I'll save Rose Quartz for last! I kind of want to see what a Corrupted Pearl looks like..."

Pearl's lower lip quivered as Bridget pointed the Corruption Beam at her. But Pearl remained determined. "Do your worst! I'm...I'm not scared of you!"

Bridget smirked. "Fine. Well...how about I do Corrupt Rose Quartz first. You seem awfully attached to that one..."

Pearl's eyes widened. "No! Steven!"

Bridget studied the faces of every Gem on the platform. She preened at the panic she saw. "Oh, I think I hit a nerve! Wonderful! I get to watch you Rebels suffer as I Corrupt your former leader!"

Bridget turned the Corruption Beam to Steven. Tears streamed down Pearl's face as the beam began to charge. "S-Steven...it's...it's going to be..."

None of the others could say a word. The all stood there and struggled, all of them knowing that they were powerless to do anything. Bridget wickedly laughed as she hovered her finger over the trigger. She sneered and barked at Steven. "Any last words, Rose Quartz?!"

Steven squeezed his eyes shut, expecting the worst. "What's going to happen to my human half?!"

Bridget screamed at the top of her lungs and prepared to fire, only to be interrupted by quite the surprising sight. As the wicked Peridot prepared to fire, a busted Injector came crashing through the metal wall of her control chamber. Bridget quickly hefted up her Corruption Beam and leapt away just as the Injector came crashing down. Bridget grumbled as she landed on a nearby hovering platform. "What in the world?!"

Bridget was answered by a surprising sight once the dust cleared. Stepping out from the rubble made by the projectile she had thrown, Jasper looked confident. Immediately, she was followed in by Lapis and Peridot, each of them looking determined.

Peridot reached out her hand and quickly used her Ferrokinesis to pull Rose's Sword in her direction. The Sword came flying at the 3 of them, only to be grabbed from the air be the Homeworld Gem's fourth teammate. Connie shot Bridget a death glare as she pointed Rose's Sword at the wicked Gem. "Guys...let's finish what we started!"


	16. Chapter 16: Corruption

**Steven Universe – Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 16: Corruption**

Bridget calmly stood and pulled her remote from her back pocket. "So you escaped? _So what_?!"

The evil Peridot sneered as she directed a small batallion of Gem Battle Droids to her side. "You think I didn't plan a way to recapture you should you get loose?"

Bridget smiled wide and directed her Battle Droids to charge the four members of the Homeworld team. Turning and nodding to one another, the four quickly leapt into action. Splitting into two teams, they got to work. Lapis and Connie immediately darted for the imprisoned Crystal Gems. Jasper and Peridot lead their charge directly at Bridget.

Bridget scoffed at the sight of Lapis and Connie going up to the Gems. Setting her Droids on auto-pilot, Bridget sent them after the two would-be usurpers of her authority. And then, as they flew off, she prepared for the fight rushing towards her. Bridget quickly spirited her Corruption Beam behind a piece of rubble behind her, and then she summoned her trident. Bridget giggled as she walked back around the rubble. "Those Rebels wouldn't stand a-"

Bridget was met by Peridot flying directly onto her face. The White Diamond Officer struggled and flailed as her shorter counterpart clawed and bit at her face. Peridot, meanwhile, had no intention of letting up on her evil twin. Raining a flurry of punches and scratches down on Bridget's head, Peridot giggled like a madman. "You think you can stop me and my friends you _CLOD_?! Your machines can't beat us and neither can you!"

Bridget growled as she blocked against Peridot's various strikes. "Will...you... _GET OFF ME YOU CLODDY LITTLE RUNT_?!"

Bridget sneered and wrapped her fingers in Peridot's hair, yanking the smaller, green Gem off of her face and whipping her across the room. Bridget sinisterly smiled and hoisted her trident into the air. However, rather than attack Peridot, Bridget held the trident to her side and blocked an oncoming headbutt from Jasper. Bridget turned and winked at the orange brute. "Just because I'm a science officer doesn't mean I didn't learn how to fight! Wanna go, Miss so-called 'Ultimate Quartz'?"

Jasper smiled a huge slasher smile and roared at the top of her voice, rearing back and smashing her Crash Helmet into Bridget's trident.

Meanwhile, up on the hovering platform, Connie cried out and swung Rose's Sword, slashing four Battle Droids out of the air. The human girl turned and shouted at Lapis. "Lapis! Are they free yet?!"

Lapis smiled wide as she slashed the final set of restraints off of Sapphire. Finally free, Sapphire turned to Ruby and the two embraced, once again forming Garnet. The Crystal Gem leader turned to Lapis and Peridot and shot them both a thumbs up. "Good work you two! It's nice to know that, when we can't handle it on our own, we have a B-Team to rely on!"

Connie smiled and nodded. "Always happy to be of assistance Garnet!"

Lapis sniffed. "I take umbrage to being called the _B Team_! We've been handling everything that Bridget has been sending out! We're clearly the _A Team_ in this case!"

Pearl chuckled and smiled at Lapis. "Fine. Fine. You all did a wonderful job! I mean it Lapis..."

Amethyst grinned and summoned her whip. "Yeah! Great work Lappy!"

Bismuth chuckled under her breath. "Yeah...nice work..."

Steven laughed out loud and pulled Lapis and Connie into a big hug. "And you all looked SO COOL when you came in! That was awesome!"

Lapis smiled and rolled her eyes. "Well...if _you_ say so Steven..."

Garnet looked up at the remaining army of Battle Droids, the moonlight reflecting off of her shades. "Well, let's end this mess."

The other Gems all nodded in agreement and began to leap into action. Connie and Steven turned to one another. Connie smiled a huge, confident smile. "Should we?!"

Steven smiled and nodded back. "Heck yeah!"

The two friends nodded and grabbed one another into a big hug, instantly fusing together. In a flutter of rose petals, Stevonnie appeared. The Fusion picked up Rose's Sword and summoned their shield. "Let's get this over with! We have a sleepover to try and enjoy!"

As the Crystal Gems, Lapis, and Stevonnie all laid into the army of Battle Droids over head, down below Jasper and Bridget brawled. The White Diamond Officer and the lone Pink Diamond supporter clashed and bashed into one another. Jasper's bulk collided against Bridget's agility and made for an equally matched fight.

The two of them fought pretty evenly. Jasper got in several solid punches, but Bridget responded with a trident stab and a kick, followed by using Ferrokinesis to pull a heavy iron sheet into Jasper, sending the Quartz flying across the room. Bridget charged forward, lashing at Jasper with her trident.

However, Jasper was no fool. She deftly dodged each swing and thrust of the trident and returned with offense of her own. Jasper smirked as she landed a headbutt directly into Bridget's face. This Peridot was tough, and skilled, but she was no match for the much more battle hardened Quartz before her.

Bridget roared and jumped into the air, tossing her trident at Jasper. Jasper grunted and smashed the trident out of the air, shattering it into tiny pieces. And then, Jasper seized Bridget into a mighty bear hug. Bridget screamed at the top of her voice. " _DROP ME AT ONCE YOU FILTHY WAR MACHINE!_ "

Jasper sneered. In another life, she would've shattered this whiny little baubel into pieces. And, to be honest, she was struggling not to do so at the moment. Ending this Peridot would prevent her from ever doing anything as evil as she had been up to ever again. But, Jasper sighed. "Look! Listen to me! You've lost! Just give it up!"

Bridget sneered. "Never! You hear me! _Never!_ I am an officer of the White Diamond army. My Diamond would never forgive me if I surrendered to a bunch of trai-"

Jasper screamed in Bridget's face. "YOUR DIAMOND DOESN'T CARE ABOUT YOU!"

Bridget flinched and fell silent. Jasper shook her head. "White Diamond replaced you the second she noticed you were missing! And that's just the facts. She doesn't care about you! None of the Diamonds care about any of us. And I'm willing to be that once she noticed you were gone, however long that took, White Diamond just ordered an Era 2 replacement to fill your spot..."

Bridget remained silent. The Peridot glanced up and watched as, to her horror, her army of Battle Droids came crashing down from the sky. All of her plans were literally coming down in flames. Jasper clenched her teeth. "So, please, just stop. Let me poof you! Then we can Bubble you and end all of this nonsense...otherwise..."

Jasper glared down at Bridget. "This is _Pink Diamond's_ planet! And, if you threaten it, I'll _powder_ you! So, I'm ordering you...Give. Up!"

Bridget's lower lip quivered. But, almost immediately, she got in Jasper's face. "I will never stop trying to fulfill White Diamond's orders! This planet and all of the Rebels on it will be nothing more than dust in space by the time I'm done! And I won't let you stop me!"

Jasper sneered and shook her head. "Have it your way..."

Jasper roared and tossed Bridget into the air, rearing back and punching her, in the small of her back, and sending her flying into a pile of metal debris. Jasper grunted and glared at the pile of scattered metal. "Come on. Just poof..."

Peridot giggled and cheered as she came running up to her larger ally. "Nice punch Jasper! You sent her flying!"

Jasper sneered. "Yeah..."

Stevonnie spoke up. "Hey...is something wrong Jasper?"

Jasper turned and saw Stevonnie, Lapis, and the Crystal Gems all walking up behind her. Bismuth stopped, bending over and picking up Bridget's control remote. The blacksmith shook her head and crushed the remote with one hand. "That takes care of that!"

Lapis nodded. "Yeah. Now all we have to do is poof Bridget. How's that coming Jasper?"

Jasper growled under her breath and glared back at the pile of metal debris. "It's...coming..."

Jasper glanced down at Lapis. "By the way...I found her Gem."

Lapis cocked her head. "Oh? Where is it?"

Jasper cracked a slight smile. "It's on her butt. Like...right where her left butt cheek would be..."

Lapis stifled back a snorting laugh. Jasper chuckled and nodded her head. "I...I don't want to hurt her if I don't have to. She's...a terrible Gem. But she believes in what she's doing. She doesn't deserve to have us gang up on her for loving her Diamond...even if what she did was terrible..."

Stevonnie chuckled and seperated into Steven and Connie. Steven smiled at his friend. "Hey, Connie, would you like me to heal your arm? I could feel hopw badly it was hurting while we were fused..."

Connie sighed. "Yeah...that Gem bit me pretty hard. I guess it would be nice of you to give it a quick heal..."

Steven smiled and licked his hand. "Okay then, Let me just-"

" **I. Hate. You. All."**

The Homeworld Gems and Crystal Gems all turned and glared at Bridget as she rose from the rubble. Garnet frowned and took a step forward. "Bridget! Surrender. You can't win this. If you don't stop now, we will poof and Bubble you!"

Bridget shook with anger. "My name is Peridot Facet BR1D Cut G37! I am a loyal officer of White Diamond! And you, you traitorous scum..."

Bridget reached down and hefted up her Corruption Beam. "I will defeat you all in My Diamond's name! I'll Corrupt and shatter every last one of you! Now, be good Rebels and _ **DIE**_!"

Bridget sneered and charged up her Corruption Beam. Jasper's eyes widened. Her voice hitched as she cried out. "Oh no! Not again!"

Reacting quickly, Lapis grabbed Jasper, alongside all of the other Gems and Connie, and pulled them behind a giant piece of metal debris. Bridget roared and continued to fire her weapon. "I will Corrupt all of you and serve your Gems up to My Diamond on a plate!"

Steven shivered in fear as the deadly light shone over the metal barrier. "Ugh. This isn't good guys! If she hits any of us with that, it's all over! What do we do?"

All of the Gems looked backand forth at one another, but none of them could come up with a single idea. Peridot anxiously bit her finger nails. Lapis ringed her hand through her hair. Jasper pulled her knees to her face and shivered. "No. Not again. Please, not again!"

Pearl shook her head. "We have to think of something! We can't just sit here and wait for her to get us..."

Bismuth grunted. "What can we do?! If any of us go out there we're finished!"

Connie sighed and stood up. "Not all of us."

Steven's eyes widened as Connie grabbed Rose's Sword and ran out from cover. "No! Connie, wait!"

Connie squeezed her eyes shut as she ran into the tunnel of bright white light that was being shot at her closest friends. The human girl grunted and held Rose's Sword aloft in front of her. She struggled against the force of the beam, but she did not falter. She had to do this!

Bridget gasped at the sight of the human slowly making her way through the Corruption Beam. "Wait...how?!"

Bridget's eyes widened as, with a near primal yell, Connie ran through the beam and up to the base of her weapon, smashing Rose's Sword against it and trying to parry it away. Bridget held strong as she glared at Connie. "Stop it human! Stop it right now!"

Connie grunted as the force of the blast pushed against her lanky frame. "N-never. If I stop...you'll do that horrible thing that you did to that Ruby...to my friends..."

Bridget was beginning to lose her grip as Connie pushed harder and harder with the giant, pink blade. "No! I'm asking you to stop...I'M BEGGING YOU TO STOP!"

Connie's eyes snapped open. "WHY SHOULD I?! YOU FLAT OUT SAID THAT YOU PLAN TO DESTROY MY PLANET! WHY SHOULD I STOP?!"

But, as Connie got a good look at Bridget's face, she flinched back. Bridget's lower jaw quivered as she stared at Connie. Tears ran down the evil Peridot's face as she pleaded with the human girl. "Because...if I fail this, White Diamond won't care for me anymore..."

Connie's jaw dropped. She glanced down at the ground and mulled over what her options were. Finally, after a moment of deliberation, Connie answered back. "I'm sorry...I'm very sorry...BUT I CAN'T LET THAT BE THE REASON YOU DESTROY MY FRIENDS AND HOME!"

And with that, Connie parried her blade upwards. The Corruption Beam shot into the air, sending Bridget off balance, and sending her stumbling backwards. Bridget tried her best to keep her balance, but, it was to no avail. The White Diamond officer tripped over a piece of metal debris and fell back, tossing it into the air and allowing it to fall on her, blasting her with the Corrupting light.

Connie gasped. "Oh no!"

As her Gem allies all emerged from their cover, the human girl ran forth and slashed the Corruption Beam in half, permenantly stopping the evil weapon from committing anymore terrible deeds.

But it was too late.

Connie stared down at Bridget, reacting in pure horror at what had happened. The signs of Corruption were already showing up all across her body. As the other Gems joined Connie in gawking, Bridget got up and looked down at her steadily Corrupting arms. The White Diamond officer gasped. "What have you done to me...?"

Connie reached out to her. "Bridget..."

Bridget screamed at the top of her voice, the tempo of her chords steadily distorting. "Look at what you've done to me!"

The Gem's all got into attack positions as Bridget steadily Corrupted more and more. Bridget backed away from her foes until her back smacked against the glass of her Gem container. And what she saw in her reflection horrified her. Rather than the once confident Peridot that once stood in that reflection, there was now a giant, green spider-like creature. Eight long, skinny legs erupted out from Bridget's body. Her two eyes had split into eight. Her mouth had overtaken most of her face and her hair hung messily over her face.

Bridget screeched in fear and rage. "You! You did this to...to...to...MMMMMEEEEEEAARGHHH!"

She turned and glared at Connie and the Gems, her mind clearly going. "I'll make shatter you...this...you shatter you...shatter shatter..."

Bridget shuddered and screamed at the top of her voice one more time. " _ **YOU WILL DIE!**_ "

Bridget turned back around and charged, head first, into the Gem container. As her head collided with the glass, she whimpered out one final phrase. "White...Diamond..."

And then her mind was gone.

Connie turned to the Gems and Steven and gasped. "I didn't mean to-"

Jasper held up her hand. "Not now. We have bigger problems..."

Connie cocked her head. "What...?"

The human girl turned and her eyes widened. The glass on the Gem container had cracked and, soon enough, the weight of its cargo was too much to bear. The glass shattered and out came tumbling hundreds of Gems. Each Gem glowed as it hurled through the air and, to everyone's horror, they all eventually reformed.

Connie backed away into her group of friends, each of them ready to fight as an army of angry, confused, Corrupted Gem Monsters set upon them.


	17. Chapter 17: Rainbow Variscite

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 17: Rainbow Variscite**

 **A/N: Sorry this one took so long! I just wanted to work out how I portrayed a certain character. I hope the characterization I picked out for her works for everyone! I think it's pretty good personally. Either way, I plan to continue this story for a good while yet, but I'm glad that you all have stuck around for this first arc. The next Chapter will be the last one for what I'm dubbing the "Bridget Arc", cant wait to move on to the "Dreams and Nightmares" chapters I have planned up for next.**

 **So, TL;DR, I hope you enjoy this, I plan to continue for a while, and thank you all for being such awesome readers! :)**

 **A/N: Updated for quality.**

The hoard of Corrupted Gems ran at the the unprepaired and fatigued targets in front of them. They didn't care that these Gems weren't the ones to hurt them, they didn't care that these Gems had just defeated their torturer. They were upset, confused, and willing to attack whatever stood in their way.

Garnet and Lapis turned to one another and grimaced, and then they turned to their teams. Garnet called out. "Let's do it!"

Lapis sighed. "Come on guys, we aren't done yet!"

The Crystal Gems and Homeworld Gems all charged at the hoard of Gems rushing at them. And, wasting no time, they clashed and began to brawl. Steven and Connie looked over at one another, Steven could see the guilt clouding Connie's eyes. "Hey...Connie..."

Connie sniffled. "I...I didn't mean to Steven...as bad as she was...she didn't deserve _that_..."

Steven closed his eyes and walked up to Connie, grabbing her into a giant hug. Connie squeezed her eyes shut and returned the hug. And then, they re-fused into Stevonnie.

The Fusion Warrior leapt into battle, joining their two Gem teams and battling the ravenous hoard of Corrupted Gems. Stevonnie reached out and grabbed Rose's Sword, giving a quick back swing and poofing three former Quartz's.

Stevonnie quickly picked up all three Gems, bubbling them and sending them away. The other Gems followed suit and, very quickly, entire legions of Corrupted Gems were sent away in Magenta Red, Mint Cream, Pink, Purple, Lime Green, Cool Blue, and Fiery Orange Bubbles. Bismuth, meanwhile, was simply poofing and passing poofed Gems to her comrades.

Lapis scoffed at Bismuth. "You know, you could be Bubbling these things too!"

Bismuth scowled at Lapis and formed her left hand in an axe. "Do I _look like_ I want my Forge to be full of these things?!"

Lapis raggedly sighed, summoning a scythe of water. "Whatever."

And then, Bismuth and Lapis turned to one another and poofed a Corrupted Gem behind each others backs.

Amethyst chuckled as she grabbed a Corrupted Gem into a headlock, giving it a quick squeeze and poofing it. Amethyst bubbled the Gem and smiled wide, turning towards Jasper. "Hey Sis! How's it going over there?!"

Jasper growled and slammed her forehead into a giant, slender, black Corruption. She reached onto the center of its face and ripped its Gem out. Jasper turned to Amethyst and scowled, bubbling the Gem. "This is getting annoying! And quit calling me 'Sis'..."

Amethyst stuck her tongue out and wrapped her whip around Jasper's torso, hurling the larger Quartz into a crowd of Corruptions. "Whatever you say, Sis!"

Garnet smiled as she hefted Peridot from the ground, throwing the green Gem into the air and allowing her to pull a steel girter her way. Peridot dropped the heavy steel onto a group of Corruptions and fell back to the ground, quickly Bubbling the Gems as Garnet handled another group of them approaching from the back. Garnet smiled wide. "I'm proud of all of you! You're doing a great job as a team!"

Peridot snickered and used her Ferrokinesis once more, hefting the steel girter again and tossing it at several more Corruptions. She smiled as they poofed, but then she frowned as they were quickly replaced. "We...we can't..."

Stevonnie and Pearl both scowled at they went along, they were both feeling the same thing. Stevonnie kicked away a Corrupted Gem, creating space for them to breath. Pearl jabbed a Corruption in its gut and slammed it to the ground, taking a knee as it poofed. The two of them looked and one another, and then they went back to the fight.

After another long period of fighting, Stevonnie and Pearl weren't the only two short of breath. Lapis shook her head and groaned. "Guys...we need to take a step back!"

The other Gems nodded and agreed. Quickly abandoning their quarrels, the Crystal Gems and Homeworld Gems and leapt back up to a floating platform and looked back down at what they had left to face. Everyone, even Garnet, all let out a sigh of fatigue and disgust. Beneath them, roiling like a sea of angry beasts, at least 1000, if not more, Corrupted Gems screamed up at them, hungering for their Shards.

Everyone remained silent for a moment, all of them relishing the chance to take a breath. But then, after a moment, Jasper and Bismuth each took a step forward, prepared to jump right back into the seemingly unending barrage of Corrupted Gems. However, before the could leap into the fray, Lapis stopped them both. "Wait. Don't go down there..."

Jasper turned to her compatriot. "Lapis...?"

Bismuth scowled. " _What_?! They aren't going to Bubble themselves, are they?! If this is ever going to get done-"

Garnet stepped up. "I agree with Lapis. You two going down there will only end up in you being Poofed. Or worse."

Jasper gritted her teeth. "How could you possibly-"

Garnet turned to Jasper and adjusted her shades. The orange Gem growled. "Future Vision cop out..."

Garnet sighed and motioned to Amethyst and Pearl. "I think we just need to end this quickly. For the sake of ourselves and these Corrupted Gems. We're all tired and they are all in pain. So, let's just finish this."

Lapis's eyes widened. "Hey! Hold on a minute! I didn't mean that you should just kick us out of this! I meant that we should take a minute to re-group and re-plan!"

Garnet nodded. "We are. And I did. I've come up with a plan to finish this. Pearl. Amethyst."

Pearl and Amethyst nodded. They each grabbed onto one of Garnet's hands and, after a little dance, Alexandrite was formed. The titanic Fusion adjusted her shades and looked down at the other Gems. "You all did good work, but I shall take care of this now!"

Stevonnie smiled, happily relieved. However, the Fusion's teammates were much less happy about what just happened. Peridot looked disappointed. Lapis and Jasper both looked enraged. Bismuth smirked at the sight of Lapis and Jasper's anger. "What's wrong Homeworlds? You upset about something...?"

Jasper turned and glared at Bismuth. The orange Fusion wasted no time in getting right in the blacksmith's face. She reared back her fist. Bismuth, in response, bucked up to the Quartz soldier. Stevonnie and Peridot quickly ran to defuse the impending fight.

As Jasper and Bismuth growled in one another's faces, their comrades tried to pull them away from one another. Bismuth, her voice heavy with fatigue, barked in Jasper's face. "Why are you so upset?! Alexandrite is going to end all of this so that we can all finally go home and put this nightmare behind us! Is your bloodlust really so intense that you can't let those poor things be put out of their misery?!"

Jasper sneered at Bismuth. Bismuth spat on the ground. "Or...are you maybe just upset that your little Homeworld friend got Corrupted?!"

Jasper's eye twitched. She rocketed forward, knocking Peridot away so hard that she nearly tumbled over the edge of the hovering platform. "You think we were _allied_ with that psychopath?!"

Bismuth shrugged. "If the war gaunlet fits...your kind most likely used it to shatter someone I loved."

As Jasper opened her mouth to say something in turn, Lapis quickly interjected. The blue Gem looked utterly furious. "We AREN'T on her side. We're sick of being pushed to the side by the Crystal Gems when we could be helping out! We can do things too!"

Bismuth snorted. "Yeah? Well it's too bad that you aren't needed. Alexandrite should be able to handle all of those Corruptions down there. So, you and your Homeworld buddies can just-"

Peridot interjected. "I wouldn't say that she's winning..."

The others rushed over to Peridot's side to see what she was talking about. They were shocked at what they saw. Alexandrite was trying her best. She was fighting back with all her might, poofing several Corruptions with each attack, but almost immediately being overwhelmed from behind. Lapis grunted to herself. "What's wrong with her? She stopped Malachite before...how is she having such a hard time now?!"

Bismuth shook her head and glared down at the display on the floor. "She's tired. We're all tired. That Peridot has had us here for nearly a day. And that's not even counting the giant battle we had with her Droids beforehand. I'd imagine that Alexandrite is having trouble just staying together at the moment..."

Jasper, Peridot, and Lapis all glared down at the Crystal Gems, still upset at how the Gems had snubbed. Them like they had. Stevonnie stared down at Alexandrite, fears streaked across their face. "What do we do? They can't go on like this forever..."

Jasper sighed. "As angry as I am...we should help them. We can't just leave the four of them down there to die..."

Lapis nodded. "I agree. But...what do we do exactly?"

Peridot frowned. "I don't think that Ammolite would work here. Her fighting style is not exactly meant for such tight, enclosed spaces..."

Lapis glanced down at Peridot. "Yeah...and I don't think we'd be big enough to deal with all of those Corruptions all at once."

Peridot nodded. "Yeah...so who does that leave?"

Lapis grunted and turned to Jasper. Jasper, at the same time, turned to Lapis. The two of them stared at one another, glimmers of fear and trepidation building in their eyes. They were b oth scared to even think of it, but they knew it was their only option to help out. The two Gems nodded at one another and they turned to Bismuth and Stevonnie. Jasper growled at Bismuth. "Hey!"

Bismuth glared back at Jasper. "What?!"

Lapis sighed and held up her hands, trying to keep the peace between the two bigger Gems. "Bismuth. Stevonnie. Please keep Peridot safe..."

Stevonnie's eyes widened. "Wait, what are you two-"

Lapis didn't even wait for the Fusion to finish. The blue Gem seized Jasper by the arm and took flight. Summoning several shards of ice, Lapis attacked the crowd of Corrupted Gems. "Hey! Come and get us you _freaks_!"

The Corruptions roared at the top of their lungs and immediately began to chase after Lapis and Jasper. As she watched her two friends flee, with a group of monsters on their tail, Peridot shivered. "Oh no..."

Bismuth frowned at the shorter, green Gem. "What? What is it?!"

Peridot shook her head. "This isn't going to work. _Malachite_ isn't going to work! Lapis and Jasper are both just rushing to their deaths..."

Bismuth rolled her eyes. "Oh please...you're telling me that they can't even handle a simple Fusion?!"

Stevonnie smiled, trying their best to reassure Peridot. "Peri. It's fine. I'm sure that, with so much on the line, Jasper and Lapis can work out their issues..."

Peridot shook her head and stood. "No! No they can't! There's a lot of bad feelings surrounding Malachite. Even if Lapis and Jasper are okay with one another at the moment...I don't think they're ready to go into that sort of bond without someone there to moderate them..."

Stevonnie frowned and lowered her head. "Well...this isn't good. It's a shame that you can't be their to help them Peridot. They seem more comfortable with one another when you're around..."

Peridot nodded. "Yeah..."

And then they both fell silent. Stevonnie sat there, waiting for Peridot to get it. After a moment, Stevonnie got impatient and nudged Peridot on the shoulder. "It sure is a shame that you can't be there to moderate them!"

Peridot nodded. "Yeah...it...is...?"

Stevonnie looked down at the clearly confused Peridot. Finally, the Fusion sighed and said it again. "What I'm saying, Peridot, is that it sure is a shame that you can't be there, in the Fusion, with Lapis and Jasper, to keep them calm!"

Peridot still didn't get it. Finally, releasing a giant groan, Bismuth shouted out. "Oh for Gems sake! Go fuse with your friends to make the Fusion stable!"

Peridot nodded. "Oh."

And then, the green Gem's eyes widened. " _OH!_ "

Stevonnie chuckled as Peridot, finally realizing what she had to do, sprung up and began to make her way over to Jasper and Lapis. Jumping across the various pieces of hanging debris, Peridot ran to them, trying to arrive before if was too late.

Jasper and Lapis turned to one another. The Corrupted Gems were closing in on them. They didn't have time to hesitate. Lapis and Jasper both let loose a calming sigh and then they began to dance. Jasper twirled Lapis around, pulling her into an intense ballet and trying her best to stay focused. Lapis's lower lip trembled as the dance progressed. Hopefully Alexandrite would be back up and ready to fight by the time they were done, because she and Jasper both knew that this wasn't going to work. They were only doing this to buy the others enough time to recover.

With the Corruptions closing in and very little time on their hands, Jasper and Lapis sighed. They couldn't stall any longer. They had to bite the bullet. Finishing their dance, Jasper heaved on Lapis's arm and pulled the blue Gem towards her...

Up in the rafters of Bridget's former hideout, Peridot leapt across all of the hanging metal, using what little agility she had to make it across. This was no time for her to slip up and fall, she had to make it to her friends in time. Peridot took a moment to catch her breath and looked down. Her eyes widened in shock. "Oh no!"

Jasper and Lapis had finished dancing! Jasper was pulling Lapis towards her. Peridot groaned as she saw the two of them coming together. "No! No! Not with me!"

And, with that, the green Gem leapt from the ceiling. As Jasper and Lapis were coming together, Peridot fell from the sky. She clenched her teeth and reached forward, hoping to make contact in time. Lapis and Jasper came together, but, as theystarted to fuse, Peridot landed inbetween the two of them, wrapping her arms around their necks. And then, in a flash, the Fusion began.

Everyone watched in awe as the dome of white light surrounding the Fusion grew bigger and bigger. They could all tell, something was being formed in there.

Something.

But they weren't sure what to make of it. Fromwhat little they could see of the shadow within, whatever was forming in there was less human-shaped than would be preferable. It looked like a giant blob with multiple hands jutting out of it.

The Corruptions stood there, growling at the dome of light. They didn't like whatever was developing within it. Eventually, one of the Corruptions screwed up enough courage to try and rush the dome of light. It ran into the dome, but was quickly sent flying back out. The other Corruptions turned to their fallen member, and then they turned back to the dome of light as it dissipated.

Everyone fell silent at the sight of this new Fusion. She slowly got up and began to take stock of herself as the others, ally and enemy alike, watched on. The newborn Fusion examined her clothes, her top was the exact same as Jasper's, right down to the size. It looked like she was wearing a shirt that was too small for her as it barely covered her upper chest. The same was true of her pants. They were basically Peridot's pants, except to small. It looked as if she was wearing a tattered pair of black and green bike shorts held up by a frayed belt with a star belt buckle. And, over these two articles of clothing, there was a light blue shroud with patches of green and orange.

Next she walked up to a giant piece of shattered glass and examined her reflection. She flinched back in fear of what she saw. She had six arms, two orange, two blue, and two green. The same for her six legs, two of each color, arranged under her waste as if she was some sort of giant octopus. But, otherwise, her skin was a drab olive green.

The Fusion ran her hands through her hair. It was long and shaggy in the back, but shaped like Peridot's hair up front. She reached up and moved Lapis's bangs from her face, revealing her eyes.

She had six eyes going across her face and a pair of green goggles hanging by a strap around her neck. Alongside this, she thankfully only had one mouth on her face, curled up into Peridot's signature sneer. However, upon closer inspection, the Fusion was horrified. She had two additional mouths, both of them wrapping around her lower torso. One of the mouths was stuck in a permanent snarl, the other was gaping in horror.

The Fusion reached up to her face and felt the two Gems that were stuck there, in place of her nose and on her forehead, both of them a lighter shade of olive green than her skin. She reached back and felt her back, rubbing the Gem back there and feeling the bases of both of her wings.

Finally, the Fusion observed her wings sticking out of her back. The lining of them was constructed of solid ice, almost resembling bone. The "skin" inbetween these bony structures was made of flowing water.

The Fusion stared at herself in the mirror as the others watched on. And then, to everyone's surprise, she cried out in a soft, but frightened voice. "By the Diamonds! _I'm a monster_!"

And, with that, the Corruptions launched their attacks on this new foe. The Gem Monsters lunged at her, ready to pull her to the ground and shatter her. But they came to an immediate stop. The Fusion turned to them and, almost reflexively, her two torso mouths lashed out and chomped several of the Corruptions from the air, biting down on them and poofing them.

The Fusion cupped her hands over her mouth and backed away in fear and disgust. "Oh no! I'm...I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to do that..."

She reached down and scooped up the Gems that she had poofed. "A-are you okay?"

The rest of the Corruptions stepped back in fear. As this new Fusion attempted to communicate with the Gems she had just poofed, the two mouths on her torso growled and snarled at them, letting them know that they had better stay back.

Up on the hovering platforms, Bismuth and Stevonnie both watched on as this new Fusion reacted to what she had done. Bismuth grunted and rolled her eyes. "What is wrong with her?! She's made of a Quartz soldier, a Homeworld tech, and an elemental powerhouse..."

Bismuth sneered as the Fusion's lower lip began to quiver. Tears formed in the Fusion's eyes and she hugged the poofed Gems close to her chest. Bismuth sighed. "She's acting like a newborn..."

Stevonnie cocked their head. "Well...I guess she kind of is..."

The human-Gem Fusion observed the Corruptions all back away from the new Fusion. "But...I think this might be our opportunity. The Corrupted Gems are too busy cowering in fear of her to actually attack at the moment. So, while they're distracted, you should go help Alexandrite Bismuth."

Bismuth nodded and turned to see Alexandrite kneeling on the floor. "You got it. What are you going to do?"

Stevonnie pointed at the new Fusion. "I'm going to go check on her."

Stevonnie made their way down to the new Fusion, observing that the Corruptions began to move to attack her, but that they remained firmly rooted in place. Stevonnie sighed and ignored the Corruptions, rather instead focusing on the new Fusion in front of her. "Excuse me..."

The Fusion stood there, tears running down her cheeks. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you...please come back out..."

Stevonnie frowned. They carefully reached up and tugged on the Fusion's shroud. "Excuse me..."

The Fusion looked away from the Gems grasped in her hands and down at Stevonnie. "Oh...um...hello. C-could you help me?"

Stevonnie smiled a warm, caring smile. "With what?"

The Fusion wibbled and held out her hands. "I hurt these poor creatures. I bit them and...they vanished. Could you help me to convince them to come back out...I want to let them know that I didn't..."

Stevonnie took a deep breath and sighed. They calmly reached out and wrapped their hand around the new Fusion's gigantic index finger. "You didn't hurt them. They were already hurting to begin with. If anything...you've made them feel slightly better."

The new Fusion cupped a hand over her mouth. "I...I did?"

Stevonnie nodded. "Yeah. You did. Now, we can help them even more. Look through your mind...can you remember how Bubbling works?"

The new Fusion squinted her eyes shut and began to think. "Uh...uh..."

Stevonnie smiled. "It's okay. Take your time. Don't push yourself to hard."

The new Fusion nodded and, after a minute, her eyes cracked open and a handful of orange, lime green, and blue Bubbles popped up in her hands, each with a Gem floating inside. The new Fusion smiled wide. "I...I did it!"

Stevonnie winked and shot a thumbs up. "Yeah you did! Now just send them home."

The new Fusion nodded and, with a clap, all of the Bubbles were gone. Stevonnie nodded and smiled. "Now then. Do you know your name? I'd love to know it."

The new Fusion scratched her head. "Uh...I...uh..."

Stevonnie gave her another assuring pat on the arm. "It's okay. Take your time."

The new Fusion closed her eyes and began to think. "Uh...a couple names are popping into my head...Jasper...and Peridot...and Lapis Lazuli..."

Her eyes shot open. "Am...am I a Fusion?"

Stevonnie smiled and nodded. "Yep. Just like me!"

The new Fusion frowned and shook her head. "Oh...that's why I look like someone tore a bunch of Gems apart and sowed them back together...I'm a freak..."

Stevonnie frowned and shook her head. "No! You aren't a freak..."

Stevonnie looked back at Alexandrite and remembered what Garnet had once told them. "You're an experience. A wonderful, lovely experience between three people who truly care for one another! You're just as awesome and beautiful as any other Fusion in the amazing rainbow of Fusions we've seen so far!"

The new Fusion cocked her head. "Rainbow?"

Stevonnie nodded. "Yes. A giant, wonderful rainbow. And you're you own unique color in it! Now...what's your name, new friend?"

The new Fusion looked down at Stevonnie's smiling face and, after a moment, she smiled back. "Variscite...Rainbow Variscite."

Stevonnie chuckled and wrapped her arms around the giant, new Fusions neck. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Rainbow Variscite!"

Alexandrite's voice rang out. "I agree."

Stevonnie and Rainbow Variscite both turned to see the giant Fusion approaching, stepping over the army of frightened Corruptions, carrying Bismuth in her hand. Alexandrite smiled and placed a hand on one of Rainbow Variscite's many shoulders. "It's nice to meet you, and I'd like to get to know you more later, but we need to focus on ending this for now..."

Rainbow Variscite turned from Alexandrite to the hoard of Corrupted Gems. "There are hundreds of them...are they all suffering?"

Alexandrite nodded. "Yes. Bridget has done something truly evil here. All of these poor Gems..."

Alexandrite summoned Sugilite's Flail and Sardonyx's War Hammer. "So, let us hurry and finish this before our Fusion's run out..."

Rainbow Variscite smiled. "Okay. I...uh..."

Suddenly, the Fusion's face became much more serious, her voice slightly deepened. "Stand back."

Alexandrite turned to see Rainbow Variscite standing there, her arms outstretched wide. The Crystal Gem Fusion cocked her head. "What are you doing?"

And then, Stevonnie chimed in with her own question. "Why is my mouth so dry all of a sudden?"

Both of these questions were quickly answered by the sheet of water buidling up in front of Rainbow Variscite. The new Fusion frowned and shook her head. "Please move Miss Alexandrite."

Alexandrite nodded and moved out of the way. Rainbow Variscite sighed. "I'm so sorry all of you! I hope that we're able to find a way to fix you all someday..."

A tear ran down the new Fusion's cheek. "But, for now..."

Rainbow Variscite shoved her hands forward, hitting the sheet of water and bowing her head as the water began to shoot out. In droplets as thin as needles, the water shot forward piercing nearly half of the Corruptions and poofing them. The hoard of Corruptions cried out and tried to retreat, but the were quickly halted by a giant wall of metal built in front of them. The Corruptions all turned around just in time to see hundreds of shards of metal shrapnel heading towards them.

Another few hundred poofings later, all that was left was one very familiar Corrupted Peridot. Bridget, in her Corrupted form, lunged at the new Fusion, going straight for the two Gems on her face. Rainbow Variscite frowned and dodged, summoning a Crash Helmet onto one of her orange fists and frowning. "Don't worry, Little One, we'll find a way to fix you too..."

The Fusion squeezed her eyes shut as she reared back and slammed her fist into Bridget, slamming her into the ground and poofing her.

Finally, Rainbow Variscite smiled and reached out, forming a Bubble around each and every poofed Gem and, with a clap of her hands, sending them all away. "Now, have a nice long rest."

The others all watched speechless. Stevonnie swallowed a lump in their throat. "Man...she's strong..."

Bismuth was awestruck. "Yeah...very strong."

Alexandrite smiled and nodded. "As you said Bismuth...she's a combination of three very good Gems. An elemental, a Quartz soldier, and a very intelligent science officer. She's young...but she'll end up being something awesome some day!"

And with that, Stevonnie, Alexandrite, and Rainbow Variscite all began to glow and, eventually, they all split back into their base components. Lapis groaned as she sat up. "Ugh...what happened?"

Jasper shook her head. "I...don't know. I have some vague recollection of us fusing, but..."

Peridot smiled. "I don't know what happened either. But...guys..."

Lapis turned to Peridot. "What is it, Peri?"

Peridot smiled and began to chuckle. "Look around. All of the Corruptions are gone and everyone is safe. We did it..."

Jasper smiled and fell back, smiling wide. "We did do it, huh?"

Very quickly, Connie joined up with her team. "Hey guys! Are you all okay?! You aren't...moving..."

Lapis laughed out loud. "We're fine Connie. Just basking in the awesome fact that, well..."

Connie knelt down next to Lapis. "What? What is it?"

Lapis smiled wide. "We, the so-called B-Team, outdid the Crystal Gems!"


	18. Chapter 18: Finally, A Sleepover!

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 18: Finally, a Sleepover!**

 **A/N: Heya everyone! This'll be a quick note. I just wanted to put out a request. If anyone out there is an artist and has some free time, I'd like to ask if you'd be able to draw up some cover art for this story.**

 **If you did, it would be much appreciated! (And it goes without saying I'll credit you in each and every Chapter from there-on out. :)**

 **If you'd like to take up the task, please PM me and we'll discuss what it would look like and stuff! Thank you in advance!**

The sun was setting on a warm, mid-summer day. Steven and Connie both sat on a blanket on the sizzling beach sand, eating sandwiches and laughing up a storm together. Steven shoved the peanut butter and marshmallow fluff sandwich into his mouth and snickered to himself. "Yeah, Lapis shares her books with me all the time. She said that once she's done with the book she's reading now, she'll let me borrow it!"

Connie smiled. "Oh? You mean the book with the jungle monster?"

Steven nodded. Connie chuckled. "Yeah, she and I talked all about it a couple of days ago. I think that you'll enjoy it!"

Steven smiled and stared down at the bandages on Connie's arm. "Does it feel any better? I tried my best...but you said that it still aches."

Connie sighed. "You did great Steven. At least there won't be a big, ugly scar there now. It still aches a little, but I'll get my Mom to look at it when I go home tomorrow."

Steven smiled and nodded. "Okay. I hope it's okay..."

Connie shook her head. "Don't you even worry. That's a problem for tomorrow! We have to get ready to head out right now, I bet the three of them are waiting for us!"

Steven nodded. "You're right. Let's go get my Dad and the Gems!"

The two kids stood, picking up Steven's blanket , and ran back up the beach to Steven's newly fixed up house. Steven beamed at the newly rebuilt roof. "Man, my Dad and Pearl did a great job at fixing everything up!"

Connie smiled and nodded. "Yeah, it looks great! Bismuth helped out too, didn't she?"

Steven sighed. "Yeah, she stayed and helped for a while, but she eventually just went home. She said that she was tired and needed to start fixing her Forge..."

Connie opened the door, ushering Steven in. "Yeah. I can see her point. Her home was pretty well wrecked."

Steven and Connie walked into Steven's house to find Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, and Greg all standing around, talking and relishing a hard days work. Steven smiled and ran up to his Dad, grabbing him into a big hug. As Greg returned the hug, Connie walked up to Pearl. "Nice...jacket, Pearl. Why are you all dressed up?"

Pearl smiled and adjusted her leather jacket. "Well, I-"

Amethyst interjected. "She's going out with her _girlfriend_!"

Pearl quickly snapped back. "Amethyst! She's...she's not my girlfriend! She's just my friend. And we're going to go on a friendly ride together."

Amethyst shot Pearl her best side-eye. "Uh-huh..."

Garnet immediately put a stop to the impending argument. "You two can argue later. Right now, we need to gather our stuff and get out to the barn. The B-Team is waiting on us."

Connie cocked her head. "Garnet, why do you keep calling them the B-Team?"

Garnet smiled. "B for Barn, of course."

Connie nodded. "Oh, okay."

And then, with haste, Garnet, Amethyst, and Steven all grabbed their overnight bags. Connie smiled. "Okay then, let's go guys! I think you're all going to like what they've done with the Barn. Steven's seen it, but I think the rest of you will be pleasantly surprised."

Greg chuckled as he twirled his keys on his index finger. "I can't wait to see it. I've been meaning to do something with that old Barn for forever now..."

And, with that, the Crystal Gems, Steven, and Connie all piled into Greg's van and began their 20-minute trip up to the Barn.

In Greg's Van...

Connie stretched her back as she leaned up against the side of Greg's van. She was still stiff from everything that had happened only a day ago. She had fought, been tied up, fought some more, fused, taken down a genocidal maniac, and then fought even more. She was completely worn out.

Greg himself was worn out too, and he hadn't fought at all. Fixing Steven's house was nothing at this point. More of a weekly chore than a big event. But, after hearing everything that had been happening while he was gone for just a couple of days to buy some parts for It's A Wash, he was nearly out of breath.

Greg sighed. "I still can't believe that the world nearly ended again! I mean, I was only gone for a few days..."

Pearl shook her head. "Well, I wouldn't exactly say that it near the end..."

Garnet was blunt. "I would. If it wasn't for Connie and the B-Team showing up to help us...I can't admit to seeing many futures where we wouldn't have ended up Corrupted and reduced to being mindless Gem Monsters..."

Amethyst nodded. "Yeah, it was a close call. But, man, Rainbow Variscite was cool! She put a stop to all of those Gem Monsters in the blink of an eye!"

Connie's gaze hit the floor. "Yeah...seeing as we're on that subject..."

Steven turned to his best friend. "What is it Connie?"

Connie sighed. "I was wondering if you'd be able to answer some questions that I have about Rainbow Variscite. Honestly, I'm still a bit confused when it comes to her..."

Garnet smiled. "Well then, shoot. We'll try to answer any questions that we can."

Connie nodded. "Okay..."

Connie took a deep breath. "I'm confused about a couple of things when it comes to Rainbow Variscite. I thought about them all last night and all throughout today and I just can't make sense of it..."

Pearl grasped Connie's shoulder. "What is it Connie?"

Connie shook her head. "Why...why did Rainbow Variscite act the way she did?"

Garnet cocked her head. "What do you mean?"

Connie continued. "Her personality seemed...off. Didn't it seem off to you? She just...she shifted from being calm and quiet to intense and focused like it was nothing. It was like one version of her shut down and another one booted up..."

Garnet nodded. "That could just be due to Lapis and Japser not expecting Peridot to join in with them. Their relationship is already pretty rocky as is, but adding a third person to it might have thrown them off balance."

Pearl nodded. "That's why Opal is so calm and composed as compared to Sugilite and Sardonyx. She has less personalities to balance into her own. Meanwhile, Sugilite is made of two hot heads and Sardonyx is...made of myself, Sapphire, and Ruby."

Amethyst frowned. "Hey! Did you just-"

Pearl quickly ignored Amethyst. "But, to put your fears to rest, Rainbow Variscite is fine. The only problem is that she's still technically a newborn. She should grow into her own the more she's formed."

Connie nodded. "Okay...but..."

Pearl frowned. "But what?"

Connie continued. "But why did no one, Lapis, Jasper, or Peridot, remember what they had done? Even I remember what Steven and I did as Stevonnie, shouldn't the three of them be able to remember too?"

Pearl frowned in confusion. She didn't know what to say. Neither did Amethyst. Or Steven. They all turned to Garnet, hoping that she had an answer to this. Garnet sat there for a moment, motionless as if she were in deep thought.

And then she shrugged.

Garnet sighed and shook her head. "I don't have an answer for that. I don't know why they wouldn't remember. It could have something to do with the way Peridot was made, or how long Lapis remained damaged, or maybe even something to do with how Jasper was Corrupted and then cured. But...I don't have an answer for why they've all seemed to have blanked out on this..."

Everyone fell quiet, none of them could think of any sort of logic as to why none of the Homeworld Gems could remember being Rainbow Variscite. Luckily for them, the silence didn't last long. Greg, sensing how tense thing had gotten in the back, turned and smiled. "Hey, brighten up you guys! We're here and..."

Steven was confused. He turned to the driver's seat, but he saw that there was no longer anyone in it. "Dad?"

Steven, Connie, and the Crystal Gems all piled out of the van and saw where Greg had gone. He was standing there, in complete awe of what had become of his formerly run down Barn. Grag stuttered as he pointed at the former junk storage building. "They turned it into a palace! It...it's HUGE!"

Greg's surprise, however, was curtly interrupted by something even more unexpected. Grunting and swatting flies away with his tail, Stabber stomped right by Greg, not even acknowledging the human's presence. Greg's jaw dropped. "Was...was that a rhino?!"

All of the color drained from Greg's face. Almost immediately, he turned and ruffled Steven's hair. "See ya later shtoo-ball. Have fun tonight..."

Greg waved by to everyone as he jumped into his van, starting it up and speeding away. Pearl sighed as she watched Greg speed off. "Can't say I blame him. Whose idea was the rhinoceros anyway?"

Connie glanced away from Pearl. "Uh..."

Pearl shook her head. "Jasper?"

Connie nodded. "Yes. Jasper."

Suddenly, from out of nowhere, the sound of a motorcycle's engine revving began to erupt from the road. Rounding the corner and coming to a halt on the dirt road leading up to the Barn, Pearl's pink-haired friend smiled at the Gems. "Hey Pearl! C'mon. We're going to be late!"

Pearl's eyes widened. "Oh no! I don't want to be late..."

Pearl ran up to her friend's bike and jumped on, carefully wrapping her arms around her friend's waist, trying her best to avoid the pink-haired woman's previously healed wounds. Pink Hair turned and smiled at Pearl, and then she winked at Steven and Connie. "Hey, thanks again for spitting on me Squirt! Never felt better!"

Steven smiled. "No problem! You have a nice day!"

Pink Hair chuckled and lowered her goggles over her eyes. "Oh don't worry! Pearly and I are gonna have an awesome time!"

And then, without another word, Pink Hair revved up her bike and she and Pearl were both gone.

Finally, Connie, Steven, Amethyst, and Garnet all walked up to the Barn door. Connie knocked on it and it was quickly answered by Lapis. "Hey Steven! Hey Connie! Hey...what are you two doing here?"

Jasper walked up behind Lapis. "Who is... _oh_..."

Finally, Peridot came to the door. "Hey everyone! Garnet, Amethyst, I'mglad the two of you could come too! We have a really good movie picked out for Connie's last night!"

Lapis and Jasper both sighed. Peridot grinned and motioned to the four of them standing outside. "Come on in guys! We're making popcorn!"

Lapis and Jasper both moved out of the way and motioned the four guests in. As Steven, Connie, Garnet, and Amethyst walked in, Lapis grumbled to herself. "Fine, but _they're_ sleeping on the couch..."

Jasper sneered. " _Agreed_."


	19. Chapter 19: Connie Saves the Earth

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 19: Connie Saves the Earth**

 **A/N: I just wanted to say, well, thank you! :) You guys all rock. I love it when readers constantly give me feedback and let me know whether I'm doing a good job or not. I'm glad that everyone has enjoyed the story so far and hope you continue to enjoy it as we enter the second arc, The Dreams and Nightmares arc. It will be short, but it's leading up to a much bigger one, so I hope you don't mind if the next few Chapters are short.**

 **Also, I just wanted to say one more thing (and this might get a bit braggy...), this story now has a TVTropes page! I'd like to thank the person on this site who made it (rmlohner) for putting it up because...well...I'VE ALWAYS WANTED A TVTROPES PAGE FOR SOMETHING I'VE MADE! LIKE, YOU CAN'T COMPREHEND HOW HAPPY IT MAKES ME THAT SOMETHING I PUT TIME INTO HAS BEEN DEEMED GOOD ENOUGH TO HAVE A PAGE DEDICATED TO BREAKING IT DOWN AND DICUSSING IT! LIKE, I CAN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT WITHOUT BREAKING OUT INTO A HUGE SMILE!**

 **Okay...now that I've calmed down a bit. I would appreciate if any of you were Tropers to go and look at the page for this story. Someone out there put a lot of hardwork into it. Thank you for reading this, I hope I continue to impress! :)**

 **(Also, if you ever have any questions about the story, or suggestions or story ideas, I'd love to hear them. Feel free to PM me, I'll answer back promptly! ;D)**

 **http (colon) / / tv tropes (PUT A PERIOD HERE) org / pm wiki / pm wiki (PUT A PERIOD HERE) php / Fan fic / ConnieAndTheBTeam**

 _Connie's House..._

Connie groaned as she looked down at the bandages wrapping her forearm. She couldn't believe that is had been two full weeks already. The human girl pulled out her toothbrush and squeezed a glob of toothpaste onto it, wincing at the pain in her arm as she squeezed. Connie began to brush her teeth and sighed as the pain subsided.

But, yeah, it had been two full weeks.

Two weeks since two weeks since the sleepover, two weeks since Bridget, two weeks since Rainbow Variscite, two weeks since...

Connie smiled wide. It had been two weeks since she and her so-called "B-Team" had not only saved the Crystal Gems, but stopped a maniac from tearing the Earth apart for her own twisted machinations. But still, it had been two weeks. And all because of a Staph Infection.

Connie couldn't help but feel a bit of annoyance at that. A Staph Infection. Of all the mundane things that could have taken her out of action for the past two weeks, compared to Monsters, Machines, Magic, and Weaponry, a Staph Infection was so weirdly... _benign_.

Connie spat into the sink and rinsed her mouth, and then she began to tend to her bandages. Connie unwrapped the bandages on her arm and winced as she poured peroxide onto the steadily closing cut. Steven had healed her, but her mother had to cut her arm right back open to deal with the infection that his spit didn't fix.

As Connie hissed at the steady bubbling on her wound, her Mother called up to her from the den. "Connie! Don't forget to change your bandages before bed. That infection will never heal if it isn't kept clean!"

Connie nodded and grabbed the antibiotic gel. "Yes Mom! I know! I'm doing it now!"

Connie rubbed the gel onto her arm and sighed. She only had one more week left before her Mom said that she could go back to Beach City. One more week. One more week before she would be allowed to go visit with Steven again, although he had visited her. But, she'd also get to go see the Crystal Gems again. She missed Pearl and Amethyst a lot. And...she'd go get to spend time with Lapis, Peridot, and Jasper again.

Connie smiled as she re-wrapped her arm. Maybe, just maybe, they'd get to go on another mission together. Connie chuckled to herself. "Man, that would be a blast."

Connie's mother called up from the den again. "Connie! It's nearly time for bed! I hope you've properly dressed that wound, because I _will_ be checking!"

Connie rolled her eyes and sighed. "I _have_ , Mom!"

 _Connie's Room..._

Connie sighed and snuggled into her blankets. As comfortable as the mattresses at the Barn were, they could never hold a candle to how at home she felt in her own bed. And, surprisingly, she was really, _really_ tired. Even as the laid there, waiting for her parents to come up to say goodnight, Connie could barely keep herself from dozing off.

Connie wearily smiled. Her Dad leaned over and gave her a hug and a kiss on the forehead. Mr. Maheswaran smiled. "Goodnight sweetie. I'll see you in the morning."

Connie nestled herself deeper into her blanket. "Goodnight Dad..."

Dr. Maheswaran leaned down next, checking Connie's arm and then pulling her into a hug. "You did a good job changing your bandages. I'm very proud of you..."

Dr. Maheswaran pecked her daughter on the forehead. "Goodnight Connie. I love you."

Connie smiled. "I love you too, Mom."

And, as her parents left the room, Connie sighed and slowly drifted to sleep. By 10:30, she was totally out. And, as she began to slumber, she began to dream.

 _ **Somewhere on Earth...**_

 _Connie roared as she charged to a waiting crowd of Quartz soldiers. The Homeworld brutes tried to pin her down, but the human was too fast. With a giant swing of Rose's Sword, Connie sent them all sprawling back. They all poofed as they clattered against the ground, but they were easily replaced by more Homeworld soldiers._

 _Connie charged into them, sinking Rose's Sword into the leaders chest and poofing her. Connie glared at the invaders of her home planet, she sneered and swung Rose's Blade once more, taking every last Quartz down._

 _Connie subconsciously cheered herself on as she went. She didn't know where the Crystal Gems were...but she didn't need them. She was on a role, protecting the Earth from the Homeworld's evil plans. She was swift, she was fierce, she was living proof that the Earth was not just going to role over and die in the face of any sort of malignancy that threatened them._

 _Connie glared up at the sky and tossed Rose's Sword at an approaching Emerald Hand, slashing it from the sky and watching it crash. Connie caught Rose's Sword from the air and glared forward as the Quartz soldier pilots within came out. The two sides snarled at one another for a brief moment. And then they charged._

 _Connie continued to fight and fight and fight. She tore down squad after squad of the Homeworld's best. Try as they might, they couldn't stop this one, single human. Connie cheered at the top of her lungs as she stood atop her latest defeated pile of Quartz's._

 _The human girl wiped a victorious sweat from her forehead. "Bring it on! Bring all you've got! **I could do this all day!** "_

 _Connie took a deep breath and sighed. She wasn't even tired. She was **having a blast!** If only..._

 _Connie looked around, hoping to see any sign of them. But, unfortunately, it appeared as if she were all alone. Connie shook her head and hefted Rose's Sword over her shoulder. Where was Steven? Where were the Crystal Gems? Where was her team?!_

 _However, as these questions rattled around in her head, Connie's battle suddenly took a turn for the worse. Dark clouds rolled over the clear blue sky. Connie turned and stared upwards. Deep in her heart, she felt a sudden amount of intense, primal fear._

 _As Connie watched the sky, suddenly, something surprising happened. The clouds parted and, through them, a solid beam of white light shone through. And then, like the first and final angel of the apocalypse, a single woman descended from the heavens._

 _She was tall, her skin a shiny, glossy white. As was her hair, her clothing, and even her irises. This almost holy figure softly landed on the ground in front of Connie. She looked down at the human and spoke with a voice that dripped with authority. "Are you the beligerent human of whom I have heard so much?"_

 _Connie stuttered and stepped back in fear. The giant woman approached her, a single hand extended. Connie stuttered as she tried her best to formulate a sentence. "Y-y-y-y-you're..."_

 _The woman calmly closed her eyes. "I am White Diamond. Now, pest, respect my Authority. And die..."_

 _White Diamond extended her hand forward and shot a beam of light at Connie. The human girl had no time to coutnerattack, all she could do was scream as the attack collided with her._


	20. Chapter 20: Peridot!

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 20: Peridot!**

 **A/N: Spoiler alert: I'm not fond of Ronaldo as a character... _le sigh_...**

 **Also, we've reached 100 reviews on this story. So, I'd like to thank everyone for that. It means a lot to me! :)**

 _At the Barn..._

Peridot yawned and stretched as she crawled up onto her section of the mattresses. Lapis and Jasper had both already laid down for the night, but Peridot had stayed up filling one of the arcade cabinets full of the currency humans referred to a "quarters".

But now, after making it through five levels of _Space Malevolences_ , Peridot was ready to lay down for a good nap. Peridot fluffed her pillow. "And when I wake up...I'll beat that Final Boss."

Peridot yawned as her eyes slowly drooped shut. "I wonder what the Final Boss even is..."

And then Peridot fell asleep. And, as she fell asleep, she began to dream...

 _ **Brought to you from Beach City Television...**_

 _ **DUN DUN DAH DAH DAH~**_

 _We're the Homeworld Gems~_

 _And we live in a Barn!~_

 _We get up to neat stuff~_

 _Let us spin you a yarn!~_

 _We do lots of cool things~_

 _Yeah, a whole lot'a'lot~_

 _And we're Jasper! (portrayed by K. Brooks)_

 _Lapis! (portrayed by J. Paz)_

 _ **DUH DUN DUN**_

 _And Peridot! (portrayed by S. Rabara)_

 _ **DUH DUN DAH!**_

" _ **Peridot!**_ _is filmed in front of a live, studio audience!"_

 _Peridot and Jasper both sat on the couch. They had their hands clasped inbetween their knees and looks of constipated, choked-up anticipation on their faces. As the scene focused closer on them, it became clear: the both of them were covered from head to toe in melted chocolate._ _ **(Intense Audience Laughter.)**_

 _As AJ Styles delivered a decisive low-blow to Dean Ambrose's nether regions, Peridot turned and looked up at Jasper. The short, Filipino girl asked her larger, African-American counterpart. "Do...do you think she'll be mad at us?"_

 _Jasper reached up and pulled a caramel bon-bon from her cheek. "Well..."_

 _Jasper popped the candy into her mouth. "...I can't say she's going to be_ _ **happy**_ _. Especially seeing as this is going to be sprung on her right after she just got done working a double..."_

 _Peridot nervously shifted. "Well, we have to think of something quick! We can't just disappoint her and say we don't have a job now..."_

 _Jasper nodded. "You're right. And I have a plan! We'll need Steven, the Cool Kids, that weird pale monster that stalks the pier, and-"_

 _The door to the bar flung open. Peridot and Jasper both turned, Jasper's long, white hair smacking Peridot in the face._ _ **(Light Audience Laughter)**_

 _As both Gems looked on in horror, scrambling to think of something to say, Lapis took a few lazy steps into the house._ _ **(Medium Crowd Cheering)**_

 _Lapis shuffled her way into the Barn, ripping her barista apron from her chest and tossing it onto a nearby coat rack. Lapis cracked her neck and groaned, pulling her Beach City Cafe nametag from her chest and depositing it onto the table. As if she didn't see them, Lapis walked right by Peridot and Jasper, maing her way to the kitchen._

 _For a moment, Peridot and Jasper thought they were safe._

 _And then, walking backwards, Lapis came back into the living room, a glass of orange juice in her hand. Lapis downed her juice and buried her furrowed brow into her hand. "She I take it, by the fact that you're both coated from head to toe in chocolate...that you were both fired from the Suitcase Sam's Candy Boxing Plant...?"_

 _Peridot stared up at her weary, Filipino barnmate. "That...would...not be an inaccurate summation of the events that took place today..."_ _ **(Light Audience Laughter)**_

 _Lapis rolled her eyes and set her cup down next to her nametag. The fatigued barista ran her fingers through her blue-dyed hair. "By the Diamonds...I don't have the energy to care right now..."_

 _Lapis walked over to the cabinet and grabbed out her bottle of "special grape juice" purchases directly from Malachite Vinyards. She shook her head and walked over to the bathroom. "I'll be in the tub. Probably for a while..."_

 _Peridot nodded and stared down at the floor in shame. "O-okay. We'll...try not to bother you..."_

 _Lapis walked into the bathroom, but left the door open, throwing her clothes out onto the floor to be washed later. Peridot and Jasper listened as the water began to run and as Lapis climbed into the the tub. And then, for a moment, everything fell silent._

 _And then Lapis called out. "Hey, Jasper! Are you coming or not?!"_

 _Jasper's eyes widened. "Wh-what?!"_

 _Lapis sighed. "You're covered in chocolate! Are you going to come and...clean yourself off, or not?!"_

 _Jasper sat their for a moment, totally confused. And then, a huge smile spread across her face and she jumped from the couch. "Oh yeah! I'm coming!_ _ **Right away**_ _!"_ _ **(Huge crowd WooOOOoo)**_

 _Peridot watched, utterly confused, as Jasper ran into the bathroom, threw all of her clothes out behind her, and then slammed the bathroom door behind her. Peridot stood up and walked over to the bathroom door, knocking on it and yelling. "Hey! Can I come and bathe too?! I'm also covered in chocolate you know!"_

 _Lapis sighed. "Not right now Peri! You can take a bath when we're done!"_

 _Jasper growled at Peridot. "_ _ **Go away runt!**_ _"_

 _Peridot grumbled under her breath and stomped all the way back to the couch. "Nyeh..Clods...hogging the bathroom all to their selves..._ _ **what are they even doing in there?**_ _Should be able to bathe themselves without assistance..."_

 _As Peridot plopped herself onto the couch and crossed her arms in a huff. "Great._ _ **Just great!**_ _What am I supposed to do now while I wait?!"_

 _Peridot was answered by a knock on the door. The young woman stood and walked over to the door, flinging it open and being greeted by the smiling faces of Steven and Connie._ _ **(INTENSE CROWD CHEERING!)**_

 _Peridot cocked her head. "Hey guys. What are you two doing here?"_

 _Connie smiled and stuck her tongue out. "Silly. Did you forget what today was?!"_

 _Steven chuckled. "_ _ **Wicka wokka!**_ _"_

 _Peridot grumbled as Steven let loose his catchphrase. "Steven, please..."_

 _Steven shook his head. "Sorry! We came to get you for the big arcade tournament that Smiles'N'Frowns is throwing down at Funland! You're the best at Space Malevolences, so we figured that you could enter the tournament and win!"_

 _Peridot shrugged and smiled. "Yeah...I guess I'm pretty good. What's the grand prize?"_

 _Connie giggled and pulled out the announcement flyer. "The grand prize is a rare, golden Alien plushie and $100,000!"_

 _Peridot gasped and her jaw dropped. "What?!_ _ **A Golden Alien Plushy?!**_ _"_

 _Peridot smiled wide, but then she looked over at the barista apron hanging on the coat rack. Peridot frowned, but then she smiled again. "And $100,000. Lapis...won't have to go and work at that job anymore..."_

 _Peridot sneered and adjusted her glasses. "Then let's hurry! I need to get down there and in that torunament! Losing isn't an option!"_

 _Peridot ran back to the bathroom door. She raised her hand to knock, but she suddenly came to a stop when she heard Lapis cry out. "...oh...oh...ahhhh...oh Jasper...!"_

 _Peridot trepidaciously knocked. "Uh...Lapis?"_

 _Lapis and Jasper both responded, sounding utterly exasperated. "_ _ **WHAT?!**_ _"_

 _Peridot flinched back, they were both probably pretty upset that Jasper and Peridot had lost their jobs. Peridot meekly responded. "Uh...I'm going out for a bit. I'll be back later..."_

 _Lapis sounded totally exhausted. "Okay...just...ahh...just be careful..."_

 _Peridot nodded and ran out the front door of the barn, Steven and Connie both following behind. Peridot smiled wide."Don't worry Lapis! I'll go get enough money that you_ _ **ever**_ _have to serve coffee again!"_

 _ **Down at Funland Arcade...**_

 _Peridot was in the zone as she stepped up to the arcade cabinet. She peered from side to side and took stock of the other 19 people gathered to win the prize. Peridot turned around to see Steven and Connie both smiling and cheering her on._

 _Peridot turned and cracked her knuckles. "Let's do this this!"_

 _Mr. Smiley and Mr. Frowney both stood on the stage. Frowney wiped a tear from his eye and rang the bell. Smiley smiled wide and yelled at the top of his lungs. "_ _ **Let the games begin!**_ _"_

 _And they were off, all twenty participants pressed the start button and began to fire on incoming enemy ships. Peridot gritted her teeth as she fired shot after shot at the bug-shaped attack pods. The young woman smiled scratched at her heavily gelled hair. "Oh yeah, I can feel it!"_

 _As Peridot got further and further she heard a song growing in the back of her head. And, with the completion of Level One, that song began to play at it's loudest!_

 _You got the touch~_

 _You got the power!~_

 _ **YEAH!~**_

 _ **Two hours later...**_

 _Mr. Smiley laughed out loud as Sour Cream slinked away from his arcade cabinet in defeat. "And that's the final two, folks! That's the final two people in this tournament!"_

 _Mr. Frowney nodded. "Yes..and..."_

 _Frowney sniffled. "...and, after a short intermission, these final two will both be ushered to the Final Level of_ _ **Space Malevolences**_ _...whoever beats the Final Boss first wins the Golden Alien and the Cash Prize..."_

 _Peridot grinned and slammed her fist into her palm. "I'm ready! No one can stop me!"_

 _Suddenly, an incredibly irritating voice sounded off behind her. "Oh...I wouldn't say nobody!"_

 _Peridot turned and sneered. "Oh really? Because I'm positive I'm not staring at_ _ **anything of value**_ _!"_

 _Ronaldo fluffed his dreadlocks and glared down at Peridot. "Then you just aren't looking at me Shorty. Let me tell you something...you're too lame to win this tournament! I'm going to win! Because I'm awesome!"_

 _Peridot was quickly joined by Steven and Connie. Ronaldo sniffed. "Oh, look, you have the baby squad behind you! I see you three running around town all the time! Being_ _ **weird**_ _! Living in that_ _ **weird**_ _barn with your_ _ **weird**_ _friends!"_

 _Peridot grumbled under her breath. "You're just as_ _ **weird**_ _as anyone here! You're wearing_ _ **a cape**_ _for Diamond's sake!"_

 _Ronaldo shook his head and fluffed his dreadlocks again. "Oh really?! Well you won't think I'm so weird then!"_

 _Peridot hopped up and down, jumping in utter fury. "Yes I will! We all will!"_

 _Mr. Smiley got inbetween Ronaldo and Peridot. "Alright you two, break it up! You'll have a chance to beat each other silly in the finals, now cool off and go_ _ **buy a soda for $8**_ _!"_

 _ **After a short intermission...**_

 _Peridot got up on stage. She stared daggers at Ronaldo as she walked up to her console. Ronaldo sneered back at her and hunched over. Mr. Smiley got up on stage and grinned. "Now then, when Frowney rings the bell, the Final Boss of **Space Malevolences** is going to show up on the two screens over head! The first one to defeat it wins the prize!"_

 _Smiley turned to Ronaldo. "Ronaldo, are you ready?!"_

 _Ronaldo snorted. "Of course."_

 _Smiley turned to Peridot. "Peridot, are you ready?!"_

 _Peridot grunted and nodded. Mr. Smiley chuckled. "Okay then! Fight!"_

 _Mr. Frowney rang the bell and the screens blinked on, revealing the Final Boss of **Space Malevolences** : The White Space Crystal!_

 _Peridot's jaw dropped at the sight of it. As did Ronaldo's. And then, both participants began fighting for the ultimate prize!_


	21. Chapter 21: Jasper's Lament

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 21: Jasper's Lament**

 _At the Barn..._

Peridot tossed and turned in her spot. She grunted and growled to herself as she wrapped her fingers around her pillow, crushing it in her grip. The angry, green slice of pie gritted her teeth and sneered in her sleep. "Ronaldo..."

But, as her barn mate growled in her sleep, Jasper was the exact opposite. She was quiet. Jasper was quiet. Jasper was quiet and still as she slumbered away, pink diamond clenched tightly to her chest. And a cold sweat ran down her face as a terrible nightmare played through her mind.

 _ **White Diamond Planet 1020-007 (formerly Earth)...**_

 _This world is burning._

 _Everything is ruined._

 _And it's all **your** fault._

 _Sadie looked out from behind the rubble of her former house. Carefully, she picked up a severed head of one of her former stuffed animals and threw it out into the open. Silently, she waited for some kind of reaction. And, when no reaction came, she sighed in relief._

 _Sadie turned and motioned to her two travel companions, Onion and Suitcase Sam, and the three of them ran from their cover. The tried to stay in the shadows as they made their way through the ruins of Beach City. As she ran though, Sadie couldn't help but shed a tear for her former town._

 _Beach City was wrecked. Every building had been reduced to rubble, most likely as a show of spite to the Crystal Gems. Not a single structure was left standing. Funland had been razed to the ground. The pier had been sunk into the water. Fish Stew Pizza and Fryman's were both burned, most likely with their owners still inside going by the chains latched onto the entrances to each building. And...the Big Donut..._

 _Sadie shook her head as she looked over at the Big Donut. The remains of the building weren't even visible under what sat on top of them. The head of the statue above Steven's house sloppily sat on top of what was left of the Big Donut, having been ripped from the rest of the statues body by whatever that Yellow, Blue, and White monstrosity was that had attacked._

 _Sadie shuddered at the thought of it. That... **thing**. No one knew where is came from initially, or what it had been their for. They all rushed to the beach once it had left only to find that Steven's entire house was gone._

 _Sadie swallowed a lump in her throat. No one had seen Steven since..._

 _Sadie sneered and yanked at the giant, metal slave collar that was still stuck around her neck. But then, she began to reflect back on how she had managed to escape. Her Mom...her Mom had done it so quickly. In the midst of laboring, Barb had suddenly turned, shoved back the Gem guarding them, and slashed Sadie free of the chain gang with her pick-axe._

 _The last Sadie had seen of her Mother, she was wrestling with three of those Gems, trying to buy time for her daughter to escape._

 _Sadie bit her lip. She couldn't think about that, not now. Along the way she had picked up Onion and stumbled into Suitcase Sam. She couldn't think about her Mother right now, she had to take these two, get out of Beach City, and make it to the human military base in Ocean Town._

 _Ignoring her slave collar, Sadie grabbed Onion by the hand and motioned for Suitcase Sam to follow them. They sneaked through the ruins of an extremely familiar neighborhood. Sadie shook her head. "No...I can't think about that. Not now. Not now. Not-"_

 _ **CRUNCH**_

 _Sadie's eyes widened as she came to a dead halt. Onion and Suitcase Sam both stopped next to her as her eyes hit the floor. Sadie began to quiver and shake as she bent down and picked up the picture that she had stepped on._

 _They were in his house. Lars's house._

 _Tears began to stream down Sadie's cheeks as she picked up the broken picture of Lars. She held is close to her chest and began to sob. "Lars..."_

 _As Sadie cried and Onion tried to comfort her, Suitcase Sam stuck his head out of one of the busted windows of Lars's house. Using his one good eye, Sam watched the skies, ducking in as two Roaming Eyes passed over head._

 _He turned to Sadie and Onion and hurriedly motioned for them to come along. It wouldn't be long before the next wave of Roaming Eyes would come along. Sniffling and taking a deep breath, Sadie nodded. "You're right. We've got to go..."_

 _Sadie sneered as she and her two companions left the ruins of Lars's former home._

 _Our planet is burning._

 _They've runied everything._

 _And it's all **her** fault._

 _Moving quickly, the three humans made their way to the edge of town. They all turned back one final time as they ran their way up the road, taking one final look at their old, destroyed home. Beach City was dead, the Crystal Gems were gone, and all they could do was run._

 _Unfortunately, as they began to flee down the broken road to Ocean Town, Sadie, Onion, and Suitcase Sam were all ambushed. Sadie screamed and tried to fight back as she was taken to the ground, but a bag was immediately pulled over her head and she was taken away._

 _Thrown on their knees on the ground, Sadie, Onion, and Suitcase Sam all had their hoods removed and they came face-to-face with the destroyer of their world. Sadie practically spat venom at her captor. "YOU! LET US-"_

 _One of the Quartz soldiers standing behind her kicked Sadie to the ground. "Don't speak directly at the Commander wretch!"_

 _Ignoring the Quartz soldier, and her new head wound, Sadie glared up at the person who had ruined her planet, the person who had taken her friends away, the person who had killed so many people she loved. Sadie snatched at the restraints holding her hands and sneered up at her captor. "Are you proud of yourself Jasper?!"_

 _Jasper turned to Sadie, a look of confusion and horror on her face. Sadie's eye twitched at the confused, orange Gem. " **Well?!** "_

 _Jasper didn't know what to say. She wanted to say something, her mouth was open, but nothing was coming out. As she continued to struggle to come up with something to say, a familiar voice rang out from a speaker behind her. "You know what to do Jasper. You're a loyal soldier. Now, do it..."_

 _Jasper merely nodded. "Yes Whi-... **My Diamond**..."_

 _White Diamond's voice oozed with power and authority. "Good. And, when you're done, go and crush another 'human resistance' post. I feel as if they're gaining too much hope..."_

 _Jasper submissively nodded. "Yes.. **My Diamond**..."_

 _Hearing the speaker hang up, Jasper squeezed her eyes shut. Every voice in her head told her not to do it...but White Diamond had ordered her to. She...she had no choice. Jasper sighed. "Ametrine. Morion._

 _These humans have defied White Diamond. They're...they're no better than Rose Quartz's insurgents..."_

 _Sadie, Onion, and Suitcase Sam all turned and stared wide-eyed as Ametrine and Morion pulled their rifles. Sadie's lower jaw quivered. "No! Jasper! Wai-"_

 _Jasper turned away and buried her face in her hands. "Do it."_

 _ **PSHOOM** **PSHOOM** **PSHOOM**_

 _Jasper couldn't bring herself to look as they were carried out. Ametrine sloppily threw them into a cart to be carried away. Morion, the sadist she was, walked up to Jasper with a smile on her face. "What do you think Commander? Just like the **good ol' days** , huh?"_

 _Jasper thought that she was going to be sick. "Y-yeah...just like the good ol' days..."_

 _Ametrine giggled to herself. "C'mon Commander. Cheer up. I pulled you some trophies off of 'em!"_

 _Jasper stared down in horror as Ametrine handed her the so-called "trophies". An eyepatch, a Ranger Guy figurine, and a Big Donut T-Shirt. Shuddering as she took them, Jasper walked up to her trophy wall and placed each on a shelf of it's own. The eyepatch was sat next to Rose's Sword and a pair of glasses. The Big Donut t-shirt was placed next to a pair of ear gauges. And the Ranger Guy figurine was placed on a pedastal next to a bag of blue, green, pink, white, red, and purple Gem shards._

 _Jasper stared up in horror at the wall of trophies that she had been collecting since the day she lapsed and fell back into the fold of the Homeworld. White Diamond's offer was too good to pass up. Everyone on the Homeworld was allowed to remember Pink Diamond again. She had even gotten a memorial holiday. But, at what cost?_

 _Jasper raggedly sighed and shivered as she heard the ghost's of voices past echo through her head. And, as they echoed, she couldn't help but agree._

 _This World is Burning._

 _Everything is Ruined._

 _And it's all **my** fault..._


	22. Chapter 22: Lapis Alone

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 22: Lapis Alone**

 _At the Barn..._

As Jasper laid there in her spot, twisting and turning and grunting in terror, something else was happening on the other side of Peridot. Lapis Lazuli laid there, her fist tightly gripped onto her pillow. The blue Gems lower lip trembled as she slumbered away. Something was wrong. Something was very, _very_ wrong indeed. Within the confines of Lapis's mind, something was eating away at her as she laid there and dreamed.

 _ **The Galaxy Warp...**_

 _Lapis sat up with a start, her eyes popping wide open. The blue Gem buried her face in her hand and groaned. "Wh...what...where am I?"_

 _Lapis looked around, taking in the picture in front of her. It was a cloudy, night sky and the waters of the ocean were calm. Lapis turned and looked behind herself and she gasped, she couldn't believe what she saw. What was she doing here?!_

 _Lapis stood and walked up to the smashed up Galaxy Warp, placing her hand on it and flinching back at rubble fell from it. She sighed. Lapis didn't know what she was doing here, whose idea it was to bring her here, or why, all around, anyone would think this sort of sick joke would be funny in any way. After all, everyone, even that Bismuth knew how she felt about this place._

 _Lapis squeezed her eyes shut and reflected on her past. Her poofing at the hands of Bismuth, her various interrogations for information, her subsequent abandonment as all of the Gems fled this planet, trying to escape upon the Diamond's command._

 _Lapis shivered at the thought of the interrogations. They were intense and horrifying. She was unable to truly answer them, she couldn't speak her mind, she could only provide what was in her head as an answer to their demands, and she didn't know anything about the subjects they were demanding._

 _It was like they were demanding that she sing, but keeping her mouth bound shut._

 _And, on a planet were Lapis's powers were otherwise limitless, it was truly terrifying to feel so helpless._

 _Lapis shook her head. "Never again. I'll never be made to feel that helpless again. I'm..."_

 _Lapis clenched her fist. "I'm not helpless..."_

 _Ready to put all of this behind her, give it up and move on, Lapis sprouted a pair of wings from her back. "I hope the ocean swallows this place whole..."_

 _And then she took off. Lapis smiled as she thought of what she would do when she got home. How she would spend her time. The blue Gem looked up at the starry constellations of the night sky. Tracing over the twinkling stars against the inky blackness, she produced the images of everyone that she had in her life now._

 _The people who would keep her safe and whom she'd help all the same. Steven. And Peridot. And Jasper. And Connie. And even the Crystal Gems, Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl, twinkled away about her. Lapis chuckled to herself. She would never feel that helpless again._

 _But then, Lapis's heart sunk._

 _Lapis stopped in midair, unable to believe what she was seeing. "Wh-what?! No..."_

 _Lapis stared down in horror as, in front of her, the Galaxy Warp stood in the ocean below. Lapis shook her head. "N-no. I...I could've sworn that I was flying back to Beach City..."_

 _Lapis shook her head even harder. "I...I must've gotten turned around staring at the stars. Yeah...staring at the stars. Yeah, that's it..."_

 _Lapis turned in midair, pointing herself in the direction she **knew** home was in. And then she took off. She flew forward, at top speed, wanting to get as far away as possible from that place, her former prison. But, as she thought she saw the first signs of home on the horizon, Lapis gasped in horror. "NO!"_

 _She looked down at the Galaxy Warp, still standing there, the waves gently lapping against it. "No...nononononononononononono! NO!"_

 _Lapis was frantic, she quickly flew away from the Galaxy Warp. She wanted to go home. She **needed** to go home. But, to her horror, she soon came back to the exact same place again._

 _And again._

 _And again._

 _And again!_

 _ **And again!**_

 _ **AND AGAIN!**_

 _Lapis screamed at the sky. This couldn't be happening. This **couldn't be happening!** Lapis cried out and dove into the water. She swam even faster than she flew, making sure that she never passed the same coral reef of piece of debris twice. Finally, as she reached shallower water, Lapis breached the waves._

 _And she despaired at the sight of the Galaxy Warp once more. Lapis wiped a cold sweat from her face. Not knowing what else to do, she took even further into the air. Lapis flew up and up and up until she reached the very stratosphere itself, and then she went back down, aiming directly at the land mass that housed Beach City._

 _But, once she arrived back at sea level, Lapis could only stare forth in utter horror. " **NO!** "_

 _Having worn herself out, Lapis collapsed onto the Galaxy Warp, landing directly in the middle of the Homeworld Warp Pad. Confused and terrified, Lapis stared at her broken reflection in the crumbling remains of the Warp Pad._

 _The sky above her steadily became more and more dim as she stared at herself. The clouds moving in and the stars all going out one by one until the sky was completely black. Lapis shuddered and shot up, screaming to the sky. " **WHAT IS GOING ON?!** "_

 _And then, upon looking back down at herself, Lapis recoiled in terror. Her eyes were gone, replaced by two, shining mirrors that only served to reflect her shocked, broken reflection back at herself. Tears streamed from behind those mirrors as Lapis fell to the ground, pulling her knees up to her face._

 _Lapis sobbed and whimpered as, slowly, the world around her crumbled away and the lights went dimmer and dimmer._

 _Lapis shook her head. "Not again. This can't be happening again...I can't be all alone...again..."_

 _The dark clouds were flooding into Lapis's mind as she laid there. She was..._

" _NO!"_

 _Lapis sat up and cried out, wiping the tears from her cheeks. "SOMEONE HELP ME! PLEASE!"_

 _Lapis's gaze darted from right to left, from upwards to downwards. She cried out again. "PLEASE! SOMEONE! ANYONE!"_

 _Lapis buried her face into her hands. "No...no...I can't...no..."_

 _Slowly but surely, the rest of the world crumbled around Lapis as she began to sob once more. Eventually, all that was left was the Homeworld Warp pad and a single, Diamond-shaped beam of white light._

 _Lapis sobbed and cried as she curled back up. She was all alone again. And she was utterly helpless to do anything about it._


	23. Chapter 23: Steven Therapy

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 23: Steven Therapy**

 **A/N: And this wraps up the "Dreams and Nightmares" arc. I hope this brief diversion was enjoyable for all. I'd normally announce the name of the next arc at this point, but that would spoil what happens in it. So, I hope that you're looking forward to it, because I think it's gonna be good!**

 _Steven's House..._

Steven shifted and turned in a panic as he tried to sleep. He could feel that something was wrong. After a few more moments of tossing and turning, the Human-Gem hybrid sat up with a start. He ran his hand over his sweat soaked brow and sighed.

Pearl, from her watchpoint spot at the end of Steven's bed, reached out to the little human that she loved so dearly. "Are you okay Steven? What's wrong?"

Steven sighed. "Ever since my Dream Telepathy powers kicked in...I've been able to feel if people I care about are having bad dreams. And I can feel four Dreams turning into Nightmares every time I close my eyes..."

Pearl nodded. "So...what are you going to do?"

Steven sighed. "I'm going to go and help them. But..."

Pearl cocked her head. "Is something wrong?"

Steven groaned. "I'm fully conscious when I enter other people's dreams. I'm going to be absolutely worn out by the time I wake up tomorrow."

Pearl warmly smiled. "So just sleep in tomorrow. Amethyst won't mind, and I'll be off with Garnet scavenging through the Conquest Diamond."

Steven looked up at Pearl. "Are you sure that it'll be okay?"

Pearl grasped Steven's shoulder. "I'm positive Steven. You deserve some rest."

Steven smiled and laid back down, his eyes fluttering shut. "Thanks Pearl..."

 _ **Within Connie's Dream...**_

 _Connie groaned in pain as she shakily pushed herself into a kneeling position. Feebly, she reached out and wrapped her broken grip around the hilt of Rose's Sword. Connie placed her free hand over her swelled eye and looked up at her foe._

 _White Diamond stared back down at the human bug that dared oppose her in utter disgust. "Just give up. I could have obliterated you many, **many** times by now if not for my curiosity as to where you've acquired your weapon. So drop this feeble offense of yours, tell me where you found that accursed blade, and allow yourself to be vaporized. Or else the pain you are currently in will only worsen..."_

 _Connie shook her head. "Never. Never..."_

 _The human girl hefted the sword up and began to gasp for air. The very presence of White Diamond seems to suck all of the breath out of her. The pure, white being slowly advanced. "This is your last chance Human. I prefer to do things efficiently and quickly, but I will drag the answer to my question out of you. Where did you get that blade?"_

 _Connie took a step backward. "I'll never answer your questions. And...and I won't let you hurt my planet!"_

 _White Diamond glared at Connie and raised up her hand. Connie flinched as another beam of bright, white light began to shine from White Diamond's palm. "Then **die**."_

 _The beam of light in White Diamond's hand fired out, forming a blizzard of clear, white crystals that collided into Connie. The Gems embedded into Connie's skin, slicing her up and blowing her back. As Connie laid on the ground, wracked with pain, White Diamond took another step forward. The Leader of the Diamond Authority reached down, grabbing Connie by the hair and pulling her into the air._

 _With no strength left, Connie dropped Rose's Sword to the ground and fell limp. White Diamond shook her head. "Pathetic. You certainly don't live up to the previous wielder of that blade. Now..."_

 _White Diamond wrapped her hand around Connie's face. "Farewell, worthless speck."_

 _More light emanated from White Diamond's palm as she prepared to take Connie's head off, but she was very quickly stopped by a familiar Shield flying towards her. White Diamond dropped Connie and grabbed the projectile out of its flight. "This shield..."_

 _But, in that moment of distraction, White Diamond didn't notice another approaching her opponent. The Diamond Leader looked down and barely reacted as, in a flash, the bug was gone and replaced by a slightly bigger one. White Diamond faintly smirked as she observed the familiar Gem stuck in this new creature's torso. "Hello, Rose Quartz. I see you've lowered yourself to fusing with vermin. Did that Pearl shatter?"_

 _Stevonnie, a look of burning rage on their face, didn't respond. They simply grabbed Rose's Sword and lunged at White Diamond, stabbing it into White Diamond's chest. White Diamond merely smiled as Stevonnie seized their Shield and snatched it from White Diamond._

 _The Diamond Leader chuckled under her breath. "I see. Fascinating."_

 _And then, in a flash of white light, the Diamond Leader was gone. Stevonnie frowned and instantly defused. Connie was absolutely clueless. "What was that about?"_

 _Steven, however, was relieved. "CONNIE!"_

 _Connie flinched back in shock as Steven grasped her into a hug. The human girl smiled. "Steven...thank you for saving me..."_

 _Steven hugged Connie tight and smiled. "No problem. I'd save you anytime, Strawberry! Even if it is just a dream..."_

 _Connie gasped. "Wait...THIS IS A DREAM?!"_

 _Steven nodded. "Yeah...speaking of which..."_

 _Connie cocked her head. Steven held out his hand. "Want to join me? I still have some work to do."_

 _Connie smiled. "Sure."_

 _And then, she took Steven's hand and the two disappeared from the battlefield._

 _ **Within Peridot's Dream...**_

" _ **NYEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"**_

 _Peridot groaned as she continued to press buttons at lightning quick speeds. Every couple of seconds, even though she risked more damage from the White Space Crystal Boss, Peridot snuck a glance at Ronaldo. To her horror, he didn't seem bothered anymore. As a matter of fact, he seemed confident. **Way** too confident._

 _In the back of her mind, Peridot could hear the audience laughing. Normally, they'd be laughing at jokes, or at some funny background event. But now, now they were sounding less jovial and more and more mean-spirited._

 _They weren't laughing with her, they were laughing **at her.**_

 _Tears began to form in Peridot's eyes as more and more of her health bar slipped away. The White Space Crystal's 8-bit eyes seemed to be glaring at her as it dealt more and more damage. It was studying her, judging her, looking down on her._

 _Peridot knew that she was going to fail. She was almost ready to give up. She'd just end up disappointing Lapis and Jasper again. But, as she was about to give in to the bitter despair of defeat, Peridot heard voices cheering her on._

 _She turned and glanced back at the crowd and saw, to her joy, Steven and Connie. The two of them were both jumping up and down and cheering her on. Peridot grinned from ear-to-ear. How could she lose with two friends like Steven and Connie at her back._

 _Peridot snickered to herself and grabbed the joystick. And then, with a mighty press of the Fire Button, she launched her recently acquired Missile Power-Up at the Space Crystal, preening with joy as it's sheild finally broke._

 _And then, Peridot got to work. Her hands were as fast as lightning as she quickly closed up the gap that Ronaldo had made between the two of them. Peridot glared over at Ronaldo and cattily smiled, she was winning. She was winning and there was nothing Ronaldo could do to catch up. The Fryman teenager's jaw dropped as Peridot made more progress in under a minute that he could ever manage._

 _The White Space Crystal glared out from the screen. At first, it looked at Peridot, but then it looked past her at the two people cheering her on. The Space Crystal examined the two cheerleaders for a moment, and then it closed it's eyes and accepted defeat. With one final shot, Peridot finally vanquished the White Space Crystal. She had won! **(Thunderous Applause)**_

 _As Peridot celebrated her win, taking her Alien and her Check, Steven and Connie both turned and smiled at one another. Connie turned her attention back to Peridot and she ran out of the arcade. "Do you think that we should go get her to accompany us to the other dreams?"_

 _Steven grinned as he watched Peridot begin her sprinting journey all the way back to the Barn. He shook his head. "Nah. Let's just let her enjoy the rest of her dream. We've fixed everything wrong here, no reason to bother her."_

 _Connie nodded. "Right. And I think this dream is about to be over anyway..."_

 _Steven cocked his head. "What makes you say that?"_

 _Connie pointed at the floor and Steven saw it as well: Giant Words were apparating from the floor. Steven was confused. "What are those?"_

 _Connie giggled and smile, clutching Steven's hand. "Those are end credits. We had better get out of here."_

 _Steven nodded and the two of them flashed out of Peridot's dream. Steven was nervous about where they were going to go next._

 _ **Within Jasper's Dream...**_

 _Jasper sat in her throne, all alone. She had sent away her two guards. She needed some alone time. Time to process. Time to think of how she had ended up here, stuck in this position, on the ashes of the planet where she had been so readily accepted. Jasper shuddered as she thought on what she had done, although her recollection was a bit foggy._

 _But, in the back of her mind, Jasper could see the looks of betrayal and horror on Lapis and Peridot's faces. Jasper squeezed her thumbs against her eyelids. "Lapis...Peri..."_

 _In the back of her mind, Jasper could hear their voices echoing. Lapis and Peridot and everyone else that she had sold out to White Diamond haunted her. They chided her. And she agreed with everything she said. "This is my fault. I'm a monster..."_

 _Jasper ran her fingers through her hair. "I'm a monster. A monster. A monster. A monster. A monster. A monster..."_

 _Jasper opened her eyes and saw the dreaded bluish-green patches growing all across her skin. Looking at herself in the mirror, the Ultimate Quartz could barely muster a whimper. Her right eye had already been replaced by a prehinsile horn. "I'm...I'm a...I'm a monster..."_

 _Jasper stalked up to the mirror and gazed even closer at her reflection. She looked deep into the mirror and, suddenly, her reflection was joined by another. Rose Quartz was standing behind her, a twisted grin on her angelic face. Rose chuckled as Jasper scraped her developing claws down the glass. Silently, the apparition of Rose Quartz mouthed a single word at Jasper. A word that made Jasper snap. " **Monster.** "_

 _Jasper could only hang her head in shame. She fell to her knees and remained silent as the reflection of Rose blinked out of existence, replaced by the image of White Diamond. Jasper cupped her hand over her mouth and muttered it to herself again. "I'm...a...monster..."_

 _And, suddenly, she wasn't on Earth anymore. Jasper remained slumped on the ground as, very quickly, she flashed through every planet that she had ever been on. And, as all of these planets went by, she saw every life she was responsible for snuffing. As they all went by, fear streaked across their faces, Jasper could only mutter that same mantra to herself. "I'm a monster... **a monster.**.."_

 _White Diamond only watched on as Jasper fell deeper and deeper into despair. She watched as her loyal soldier looked back on her entire life and hated nearly everything that she saw. The Leader of the Diamonds watched and said nothing, almost as if she were waiting for something more interesting to happen._

 _And then, in the midst of Jasper's ultimate lament, she was called out of her despair by two familiar voices._

" _You aren't a monster Jasper. Not anymore."_

" _You've changed. And we've all seen it!"_

 _Jasper turned and stared, wide-eyed, at the familiar forms of Connie and Rose's Spawn. Half-mutated, she crawled towards them, the shock clear in her voice. "Y-you two...but I..."_

 _Connie leaned down and placed her hand on Jasper's shoulder. "This is a dream Jasper. It's not real. It can't hurt you..."_

 _Jasper seemed to relax as her mutation receded. "A...dream...?"_

 _Steven nodded. "Yeah, a dream. You should be able to see that! Like you'd ever fall under the Diamond's control again! Like they'd even **want** you back after what happened with Yellow Diamond!"_

 _Jasper swallowed a lump in her throat and stood back up. She turned to the mirror and scowled at the image of White Diamond. The Diamond Leader remained unfazed as Jasper marched up to the mirror and put her fist through it._

 _Steven sighed in relief as the nightmare began to unravel. The dream was dissipating and Jasper was beginning to awaken. Steven turned to Connie and smiled. "Good. We've fixed things here too! Now all we need to do is help Lapis!"_

 _Connie nodded and grabbed Steven's hand. "Right!"_

 _Jasper turned on a dime and immediately focused her attention of Steven. "Wait! What's going on with Lapis?!"_

 _Steven didn't hear. He and Connie clasped hands and they began to teleport away. But, however, Jasper was too quick. Before they could get away, the orange brute sprinted across the room and grabbed Steven's arm, joining the two kids as they went to their final destination._

 _ **Within Lapis's Dream...**_

 _Lapis laid there, in the dark. Barely able to see, unable to make herself move, unable to even make a sound anymore. Despair had eaten her up. She was trapped in a coma of her own depression and self-pity. She was all alone again, and she didn't know whether anyone was going to find her this time or not._

 _But, once more, Lapis's hope came in the form of something she wasn't expecting. Cracking open her eyes and wiping away the tears of fear, Lapis saw a pink glimmer in the distance. Desperate, she pushed herself up and began to crawl towards the glow._

 _Lapis tumbled down from the Homeworld Warp, out of the bright, white light and she began to desparately swim through the inky blackness in front of her to reach it. She needed that glimmer of hope to help her again._

 _Lapis reached out, but no matter how much she reached, she couldn't seem to make her fingers graze the pink shimmering directly in front of her face. Lapis shuddered and reached out one last time, extending her arm as far as she could make it go. "Please... **I need help**...I can't do it alone..."_

 _But, as Lapis was about to drop her arm in defeat, she felt something grab onto her hand. And then, immediately, the inky darkness dispelled. The black clouds that hid the stars receded and the column of white light vanished. Lapis's eyes morphed back into their normal selves. She looked down at her hand and was shocked at what she saw._

 _Whereas she was expecting to see a pasty, chubby, pale hand, she instead saw a bright orange hand carefully enveloping her crystal blue one. Lapis looked up to see not Steven, but Jasper staring down at her. Lapis sighed in relief. "Jasper..."_

 _Jasper nervously smiled back. "I...I heard that you were having a nightmare. I can't let...my fellow B-Teamer not have a good night's sleep..."_

 _Lapis blushed as Jasper crouched in front of her. In response, Jasper blushed as well. "I...I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean to overstep any bound-"_

 _Without another word, Lapis sprang up and wrapped her arms around Jasper's neck. Jasper was, at first, confused at the gesture. But it didn't take long for her to return it._

 _Watching from the distance as the sun rose on Lapis's nightmare, Steven turned to Connie and smiled. "I hope you get better soon Connie!"_

 _Connie smiled and sighed. "One more week. I'll be back in one more week..."_

 _Steven nodded and smiled at the sight of Jasper and Lapis embracing as the sun rose behind them. "They seem so happy together now..."_

 _Connie smiled and nodded. "Yeah. They sure do don't they?"_


	24. Chapter 24: The Come Back

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 24: The Come Back**

 **A/N: And we're back! I've spent the past couple days writing up this arc. It won't be as long as the "Bridget arc" but it will combine together with the previous and next few arcs to form one larger section of the story. But, that's for later! For now, I hope you enjoy this arc and the return of some fan favorite characters! Thank you all for reading! :)**

 _Connie's House..._

Connie stared into the mirror excitedly as she brushed her hair. It was over! It was finally over! Her Mother mandated rest was over and done with! Connie happily brushed her hair with her now healed arm. The bandages were gone and it didn't ache anymore, and the scar that was left behind was barely visible.

Dr. Maheswaran smiled as she walked into her daughters room. After three weeks of moping around the house, her summer being totally wasted, Connie was finally free to spend time with her friends again. The good Doctor smiled. "So honey, ready to go?"

Connie turned to her Mother and nodded. "You bet I am! I can't wait to see everyone again!"

Dr. Maheswaran chuckled. "Good. Because I'm ready to go too. I have a long day ahead of me at the hospital, so your Father is going to pick you up when he gets off from work at 7."

Connie nodded. "Yes ma'am."

And then, without another word, the two of them left the house.

As her Mother backed out of the garage, Connie drifted off into thought. She could barely hear her Mother's unabashed road rage as she thought on everyone whom she would be seeing today. Steven, of course, was the first person to come to mind. He had already promised her over the phone that he wouldn't be going on any missions with the Gems while she was visiting today. It was honestly kind of a hollow promise, if the Gems needed him, they needed him, but it was the thought that counted.

As for the Gems, Connie was looking forward to seeing them too. Amethyst was always a huge ball of fun, and Pearl was always willing to train or spar with her. Garnet was a bit harder to read, such an enigmatic and mysterious Fusion at heart, but she was still there to give advice where needed.

And the best part of all of this was that, hopefully, there would be no Bridget level disasters this time. According to what Steven told her, Garnet didn't foresee any trouble on the horizon, but Future Vision wasn't perfect. Something that Garnet would never had imagined could pop up out of nowhere and catch her off guard. But, hopefully, that wouldn't happen.

Although, the allure of a dangerous situation did bring one last group of people into her head. Something Green...something Blue...and something Orange. Connie leaned back in her seat and smiled, blissfully unaware of the several obscene gestures her Mother was making at a fellow driver. She was thinking of adventure, not just with Steven's team, but her team. Her B-Team! It was almost enough to make her wish that something would go wrong.

Connie sighed and turned to her Mother. "Hey Mom."

Dr. Maheswaran was rather busy at that moment, yelling at the driver sitting next to her at the red light. " _AND ANOTHER THING YOU THICK-SKULLED MOTHE-_ "

Connie groaned and rolled her eyes. " _MOM!_ "

Dr. Maheswaran blushed, remembering that Connie was in the passenger seat. "Yes dear?"

Connie smiled and shook her head. "Would you mind dropping me off at the Barn? I want to go visit with the others and invite them down to hang out with me and Steven."

Dr. Maheswaran sneered and shot the side-eye at the 20-somethings in the car next to her. She sighed and let them speed away. "I...guess I could do that. But would they actually be interested in that? I was talking to Pearl on the phone and she's under the impression that the orange one hates them all."

Connie sighed. "That... _might technically_ be a bit true. But Lapis and Peridot are okay. They both like Steven at least...and Peridot likes the Gems..."

Dr. Maheswaran shrugged. "Okay. I'll drop you off to see your friends at the Barn, but..."

Connie cocked her head. "But?"

Dr. Maheswaran blushed. "You have to promise me that you won't tell your Father about my... _slight anger_ when I drive. The _last_ thing I need is for him to tell me that he told me so about my driving..."

Connie smiled and chuckled. "Your secret is safe with me Mom!"

Connie smiled and went back to looking out her window. Silently, she thought to herself: _I wonder what they're doing right now?_

 _At the Barn..._

Lapis was sitting in her chair. The blue Gem sipped her cup of chamomile tea and read through the _Collective Works of Oscar Wilde_. But, as she was trying to read, Lapis was continuously distracted by the sound of metal clanging in the background.

 **KLANG!**

 **CLANG!**

 **K-KLANG! KLINK! KLANG! CLANG!**

 **KLANG KLANG! KLANG!**

Lapis groaned as the noise continued. Nothing quite interrupted reading time like a Peridot project. She hadn't seen the little green terror all morning, but she had certainly heard her. Lapis sighed as she squeezed her brow. " _Peridot_! Will you cool it down a bit?! I'm trying to read!"

Lapis picked her book back up and began to read again. She took another sip of her tea and found her place. " _What men call the shadow of the body is not the shadow of the body, but is the body-_ "

 **KLANG! KLANG!**

 **KLANG! KLANG! KLANG! KLONG!  
K-KLONG! KLANG KLANG!**

 **KLANG!**

Lapis growled in frustation and sprouted a set of wings. Gliding over to the nearest window, Lapis yelled to the outside. "Peridot! _Seriously_! Knock it off!"

 **KLANG! KLANG!**

Lapis frowned and stuck her head out the window. " _PERI-_ "

Lapis stared out into the field surrounding the barn and what surprised at what she saw: absolutely nothing. Of course she knew that Jasper had taken Stabber for a walk, but Peridot was nowhere to be seen either. The field was completely still. And yet that accursed **KLANG** -ing was still ringing all throughout the Barn.

Lapis hovered there for a moment. She didn't know what to make of the noise initially. But, then, it dawned on her what it actually was. Sighing, she marked her page in her book, threw it onto her chair, and then she glided to the floor.

 _In the Barn: The Safe Hiding Hole..._

Onion wiped sweat from his brow as he slammed his fourth pickaxe against the door to the safe that the Homeworld Gems kept hidden in their Barn. _He wanted that money_! But, he was getting sick of making no progress. After this pickaxe broke and was thrown into the pile with its three broken siblings, he had already decided to just switch to high explosives.

The rest of his gang stood there and watched him work, greedy smiles on their faces. Garbanzo tended to Pinto, Squash held the shovel that they had used to sneak in, and Soup was busy picking up the refuse of their broken burglary tools. They would all be rich by the time this was done!

Pinto happily cooed as Garbanzo played with her. The older brother smiled as he airplaned her around. "GARBANZO!"

Squash and Soup both chuckled as they watched the two siblings play. It would be nice to buy Pinto a bunch of new toys to play with.

Onion raised the pickaxe into the air and smashed it against the safe's lock, grimacing as the tool snapped. "Mepmepmepmepmep! Mep Mep Mep!"

Onion smiled devilishly as her reached into his bag and pulled out an acetelyene welding torch. This would do the job! Onion pulled out his welder's mask and gloves and turned on the gas. But, before his could use his striker to start the flame, the door to the safe hiding hole opened up, bathing the five kids in gentle daylight.

All of them turned and barely flinched back as they came face-to-face with the Blue One, Lapis Lazuli.

Lapis groaned and shook her head. "You _things_ got in _again_..?!"

Onion and his gang all sneered as Lapis reached out and motioned for a stream of water to come from the kitchen sink and join her. Lapis sighed. "Guess I have to drive you out again don't I?"

Lapis wasted no time, she took the stream of water and whipped it at Onion. The little human instinctively lit the torch and fired it at the water, evaporating it. Lapis frowned and looked down on the kids, summoning more water and preparing to attack again.

Onion knew that they wouldn't be able to win. Not like this. Lapis Lazuli was too strong for the five of them. But then, Onion got clever. Turning and pushing the safe into a red wagon set up behind it, Onion motioned for his friends to follow and, knocking down the faux wall of dirt they had built to hide it, the five of them fled through the tunnel they had snuck in through.

Lapis gritted her teeth. "You aren't stealing our stuff today."

And then, swinging her right arm forward, Lapis sent a huge column of sink water barreling after the Onion Gang.

Onion, Garbanzo, Squash, and Soup all turned to see the column that the Water Witch had sent after them. Squash smirked. Reaching into his bag, the child pulled out an inflatable pool lounger and blew it up, throwing it behind them as a shield for the water. Using that and the momentum that Lapis had provided, the kids relaxed as they rode the stream to freedom.

 _Outside the Barn..._

Onion and his gang shot out of the hole they had dug into the ground like a geyser. The five kids rode the water all the way up into the air. And then, they plummeted back down, landing in Stabber's nearby drinking pool.

The four older kids dredged out of the water and smiled as they fished the safe out. They had done it! They had taken the Homeworld Gem's money!

Or...at least they _thought_ they had.

As the Onion Gang was celebrating, none of them expected a giant hand of water to reach out from the drinking pool and grab the safe away from them. Onion and Squash frowned as glared up at Lapis, descending from the sky.

Lapis shook her head. "I'm not sure what you creatures are... _possibly humans_? _Possibly._..but, _either way_ , quit trying to steal from us! That Mayor Dewey guy has money, _steal from him_!"

Onion and his friends all ignored Lapis, immediately pulling out their slingshots and firing on her. Lapis rolled her eyes. "Oh _come on!_ "

Summoning a veil of water, Lapis quickly blocked all of the rocks that were being fired at her. These things were annoying! Very annoying! But, no matter what she or her two Barn Mates did, they couldn't get them to stay away!

But, Lapis was keeping her cool. They were just small...things. She didn't want to hurt them. And then a squash smashed her in the face.

Lapis held her throbbing nose and growled. "OKAY! THAT'S IT!"

Lapis reared her arm back and slashed at the kids' slingshots, slicing them all in half. But, Onion and his friends did not deter. Reaching into the storage compartment of their wagon, the four older kids pulled out a minature catapult and a giant stinkbomb. They four of them smirked and launched the stinkbomb at Lapis.

But, Lapis was prepared. Summoning a bubble of water, she plucked the stinkbomb from the air and safely popped it inside the water. And then, using all of her strength, she chucked it across the skyline, smiling as it landed in the ocean in the distance.

But, Onion's gang still wasn't done. They had one last trump card to deal with the Homeworld Gems. Reaching into Onion's giant backpack, the four of them pulled out homemade, propane tank flamethrowers and begin to fire on Lapis. Lapis shook her head as the flames collided with her water. "I can't even be surprised..."

But, despite her increasing lack of surprise to these kids and their arsenal, Lapis wasn't about to let them accidently burn down her home. Forming four, gigantic water hands, Lapis grabbed the tip of each flamethrower and yanked them from the kids' back. And then, after she turned them off, she tossed them across the field, landing it the pile of junk that used to be the Shatter Machine's innards.

Lapis bowed up at the kids. "So, _ya little monsters_ , anything else?! I can go all day if I have to!"

The Onion Gang all turned and looked at one another. And then, after a quick rabble, the four older kids turned to Lapis and nodded in defeat. And then, with Garbanzo picking up Pinto, they got into their wagon and left.

Lapis sighed and cracked her neck. "Jasper needs to be here to deal with this nonsense from now on..."

 _Back in the Barn..._

Having put the safe back into the Safe Hiding Spot, and having resealed the hole using water and mud, Lapis finally sat back into her chair and picked up her book. It had been an extremely annoying diversion, but now she'd finally be able to enjoy her reading.

Lapis sighed and opened her book. "What men call the shadow of the body is not the shadow of the body, but is th-"

 **RIP!**

Lapis put down her book again. "By the Diamonds! What is it-"

As Lapis turned to see what was interrupting her book this time around, she was shocked by being suddenly rushed and taken to the ground. Lapis gritted her teeth and tried to fight back against her four assailants. "What the heck ar-"

One of the assailants crawled up Lapis's stomach and slapped a strip of duct tape over her mouth. And then, before she could fight back further, they began to restrain her arms.

 _20 minutes later, Outside the Barn..._

Connie waved goodbye to her Mother as she drove off. But, once the car was out of sight, she turned to the Barn and smiled. It had been a good bit since she had seen Lapis, Peridot, and Jasper. And she couldn't wait to see them again!

And then, Connie's thoughts began to wonder to the more dangerous side.

"Who knows?" she thought, "...maybe something interesting will happen today?"

 _Back in the Barn..._

Lapis squirmed and grunted on the ground, fighting against the duct tape holding her prisoner as two of her assailants stood over her. Very soon, she was joined, on the floor, by a similarly bound Peridot. Peridot snatched at her bound hands and feet and screamed all variety of insults at their attackers through the duct tape over her mouth. " _MMM HMM NM! HMMN HHMMN!_ "

Lapis, meanwhile, glared at her and Peridot's captors, grimacing at the feeling of duct tape wrapped around her balled up fists and at the sight of tape similarly holding Peridot's fists. They knew about their powers. They were prepared. Lapis growled under her breath as she stared at the leader of the attackers.

The Leader only smirked back at the blue Gem. They wouldn't fail in their goal this time around!


	25. Chapter 25: Reflections of the Past

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B Team**

 **Chapter 25: Reflections of the Past**

 _At the Barn..._

Connie strolled up to the Barn. As she walked, she hummed a jaunty tune to herself. She was feeling excited about today. Getting to see all of her friends for the first time in nearly a month was something that she had been hungering for for a while now. Connie tried the front door first, but frowned when it wouldn't budge.

So, rather than wait, she walked over to the lift and activated it. As she slowly rose up, Connie thought of what she was going to say tov her B-Team. She hadn't really talked to any of them since she had went home after the Sleepover. What if they had already moved on from wanting to be her friend? Gems had a much different perception of time and relationships from humans. What if they had already gotten over her?

However, these thoughts were all pushed out of Connie's head once she walked into the Barn and saw the strange display playing out in the center of the room. On the floor, bound hand and foot, Lapis and Peridot were both squirming and struggling to get free.

Immediately, Connie rushed down to her two bound friends and immediately began rattling off questions. "Lapis, Peridot! What happened?! Who did this to you?! Are they still here?! I...What's going on?! Is this some kind of joke Jasper is playing?!"

Lapis and Peridot, both very tightly gagged, rolled their eyes. Lapis grunted at Connie. "MMPH! MHRMMMPH!"

Connie paused. "What?"

Peridot sighed and nodded her head at Connie, using her eyes to motion to the tape holding her mouth shut. Connie blushed and immediately began to apologize. "Oh! Sorry! Totally forgot about the duct tape..."

Connie reached out and grabbed the corner of the tape over Peridot's mouth, yanking it off to Peri's annoyance and discomfort. "Nyeeehh! _Ouch_!"

Connie held up her hand in defense. "Sorry. I'm so sorry. But...what happened? Who tied the two of you up like this?"

Peridot shook her head. "Ugh...I got jumped and taken down while I was outside tinkering with one of Bridget's Battle Droids. Lapis got taken down while she was reading a book. We...we never saw them coming..."

Connie cocked her head. "Who?"

Peridot's eyes widened. "Gah! Rose Quartz's sword is still here! You need to go get it!"

Connie nodded. "Right. But _who_ did this Peridot?!"

Peridot groaned. " _Grrr._..it's _them_ again. They keep showing up here and bothering us at _our_ Barn and... _CONNIE BEHIND YOU_!"

Connie flinched and turned, ready to defend herself, but was immediately cuaght off guard by a plank of wood colliding with her head. Connie immediately fell to the ground, knocked totally unconscious. Three of the attacks stalked up to Connie, grabbing onto her and proceeding with binding her up as well. Peridot raged and screamed at the fourth attack. " _LET US GO! AND LEAVE HER ALONE, YOU CLMMMMMMPPHH! MMMRMMMMRMMGHP!_ "

As the attackers continued to bind up and unconscious Connie, Lapis shot them another icy glare. The moment she got free she get all of them for this.

 _Meanwhile, in a far off Savannah..._

Jasper yawned as she walked across the savannah. She was bored, but Stabber deserved his day out too. The orange Gem trailed behind her pet, never letting him out of her sight but allowing him to do his thing.

In the distance, the rhinoceros grunted as he grazed on the grass of his homeland and interacted with the female rhinos. Jasper chuckled under her breath. At least _Stabber_ was having fun.

Jasper sighed and took a respite beneath a shady tree. As Stabber did his thing, she looked up at the bright, burning sun and smiled. As much as she hated to admit anything good about the Earth, Jasper had to say that Pink Diamond at least picked a pretty planet to start her collection of planets with. I could have been great if she was allowed to do what she wanted with it. But, that idea was long passed.

The only thing left for this world was to not let Yellow, Blue, and White Diamond have their way with it. And that's what she was going to do, stand tall and strong and keep the Diamonds from ruining the last remnant of Pink Diamond in the universe.

Jasper sat grumbled and watched as Stabber went to work. The rhino grunted and scraped his foot across the ground, trying to court a female rhino. The female turned to Stabber and grunted back, she appeared to be interested. But, as Stabber was getting ready, another, bigger male rhino came and tackled him to the ground.

Stabber groaned in pain as the bigger male shoved him away with its horn. And then, once Stabber was handily disposed of, the bigger male prepared to court the female. That is until a huge, orange fist sent the bigger male tumbling across the savannah.

The bigger male stood up and roared, wasting no time in charging at Jasper. Jasper wickedly smirked and summoned her Crash Helmet, charging right back at the brutish creature.

Moments later, Stabber groaned as Jasper helped him up. The orange Gem smiled wide at her pet, throwing the bigger males shattered horn onto the ground. "All taken care of buddy! Go get her!"

Later in the afternoon, Jasper and Stabber were both walking back to the nearby Warp Pad to head home. Stabber was his typical indifferent, grunting self, but he still made for a good ear for Jasper to vent into. And, with no one around to hear her, she did vent. She vented more than she'd ever be comfortable doing with Peridot and Lapis.

"I mean...I just worry sometimes, ya know? That...that nightmare was wrong. I know that it was wrong, but, at the same time...it felt so comfortably familiar..."

Jasper cleared her throat. "Before I came here, buddy, that _was_ my job! Go out and secure planets for the sake of expanding Yellow Diamond's authority. And...I would do that sort of thing to the populations there..."

Stabber grunted. Jasper nodded. "You say that...but it doesn't matter if it was 'only my job'...I doesn't change the fact that I used to do that to entire species...and the fact that I'm starting to feel guilt creep in over it is getting to be really concerning..."

Jasper turned and gave Stabber a pat on the head. "I guess I'm just worried that I'm starting to get soft. It's only been three months since I told Yellow Diamond that I quit...since I _defeated_ her...and yet I'm already feeling my finer senses starting to dull...you know?"

Jasper sighed. "I just...I don't want to weaken down to the point where I'm ineffective...where I'm _weak_..."

Jasper smirked. "Do...you think I'm weak?"

Jasper turned to Stabber and was unsurprised to see her pet charging at her. Calmly, she held out her hands, seizing the rhino by his horn and slamming him onto his side. Jasper chuckled as she flopped onto the ground next to her prone pet. "Thanks Stabber...you always know how to make me feel better..."

Stabber grunted and curled up against Jasper, appearing content as he buried his face in Jasper's huge mane of hair. Jasper sighed and adopted a genuine, contented smile. "Hey Stabber...can I ask you another question...?"

The rhino grunted in response. Jasper nodded. "You don't think I'm weak...but what about the opposite? Do you think that...I'm a monster? I'm trying my best to be better...but that nightmare is only proof that the thoughts are still rattling around up there in my head. Because...to be totally candid, were I to be offered what I dreamt I was offered...I don't know if I'd be able to resist...even if I knew the ramifications of my choice..."

Jasper waited for a grunt from her beast, and yet no grunt came. Jasper shifted her gaze upwards. "Stabber?"

Jasper rolled over and looked up at her pet, snarling in rage at what she saw. Stabber had fallen asleep whilst she was opening up to him! Jasper narrowed her eyes and delivered a sharp kick to Stabber's flank, sending him rolling across the dirt. "Stupid jerk animal! I don't fall asleep when you confide in me!"

Stabber stood up and roared, kicking dirt into Jasper's mouth. Jasper spat it out and glared back at the beast. The two of them stared one another down, neither making a move at the other. But then, Jasper just stopped and sighed. "Whatever. Let's just go home. I'm bored of this place and I still have to give you a bath..."

 _Back at the Barn..._

Jasper struggled to keep balance as she arrived on the Warp Pad back at the Barn. She held Stabber aloft over her head, not wanting him to fall out of the Warp stream on the way home. But Stabber wasn't exactly fond of being picked up.

Jasper tipped and and toddled as she tried her best not to fall off of the roof of the Barn. But, it was to no avail. Stabber's tantruming in her arms eventually overwhelmed Jasper and sent her and the beast toppling from the top of the Barn. Jasper groaned as she pulled herself out from the crater she had made when she landed.

The Ultimate Quartz shot an angry glare at Stabber, running free out in the field. "RUN AND PLAY WHILE YOU CAN! ONCE I GO AND GET THE SOAP, _YOU'RE GETTING A BATH_!"

Growling in a rage as Stabber totally ignored her, Jasper brushed herself off and walk up to the Barn. The Ultimate Quartz looked up at the lift and frowned. Why was it up? And, more importantly, why was the entrance that the lift led to closed?

She shook her head and sighed. "Lapis! Open the door! The lift door is closed for some reason!"

No response.

Jasper gritted her teeth. "Lapis! Come on! I don't want to have to break the door to get in!"

Still no response.

Now Jasper was worried. Usually threatening to break something would make Lapis respond in some fashion. Even if it were no more than an admonishing slap to the back of the head. Something was wrong...

Jasper reached up to the handles on the Barn doors and, with a small fraction of her strength, yanked them open, shattering the chain locking them on the other side. But she wasn't prepared for what she saw when the dust settled..

Sitting there, in the middle of the Barn, Lapis, Peridot, and Connie all stared back at Jasper. Each of them was tightly bound in that "duct tape" nonsense that humans seemed to love so much. And, given Lapis's frailty, Peridot's lack of enhanced strength, and Connie's unfortunate condition of being human, none of them appeared to be having any luck getting free on their own.

Immediately, Jasper ran up to Connie and ripped the tape from her mouth. " _What's going on here_?! Are those safe thieving little monsters at it _again_?!"

Connie winced in pain, but shook her head. "No. It's not Onion and his friends. It's-"

" _BY THE DIAMOND'S! IT'S JASPER!_ "

Jasper quickly turned her attention to the source of the voice. Looking up towards Lapis's reading loft, she saw one of the apparent assailants who had restrained her friends: a particularly clueless looking Ruby with a Gem on her leg.

And then, Jasper heard a more coarse voice call out to the confused Ruby. "You idiot! Don't reveal us to our enemies like that! Get back here and hide!"

Jasper's expression quickly changed from one of shock and confusion, to her normal, serious expression. "I know you're back there! Hurry up and come out. Make this easy on yourselves!"

After some grumbling, Jasper's demand was answered. Very shortly, the confused Ruby was joined by three more Rubies, one of which had a very nasty look in her single eye.

The other members of the B-Team, still restrained on the floor, all looked up at the group that had been holding them hostage. The four remaining members of the Ruby Squad had made their way back to the Earth.


	26. Chapter 26: Holding Back

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 26: Holding Back**

 **A/N: Okay, so we're right in the middle of the "Return of the Rubies" arc. And I hope everyone is enjoying it so far. I made this Chapter nice and big so that it would be an enjoyable read. And, I hope you love it, and that you're really paying attention to everything in the story so far! The "Jasper-demption" arc is forthcoming! :)**

 _At the Barn..._

Jasper, with her three team mates bound at her feet, stared up at the four Rubies gather in Lapis's reading loft. Each of them, despite looking the same, was off a different personality. The one with the Gem on her leg seemed to be blissfully unaware of anything around her. The one with the Gem on her stomach seemed to be shying away as Jasper stared at her. The one with the Gem on her arm was attempting to stare a hole through Jasper. And, the one with the Gem in place of her eye was...unnervingly focused.

She, the one with the Gem in her eye, stared down at Jasper, a combination of fury and confusion on her face. From Jasper's perspective of the four of them, this one seemed to be the oldest. Therefore, at least by Jasper's logic, she must've been the leader.

Jasper cleared her throat and spoke. "Well...the four of you are clearly experienced soliders. Being able to handle skilled beings such as Lapis and Peridot and Connie is no easy feat. They've defeated a _White Diamond_ officer you know..."

Navy gasped and slapped her hands to her cheeks. " _They did_?! And we overtook them?!"

Army smiled and cheered. "Heck yeah! We're awesome! We beat people who beat a _White Diamond officer_!"

Lapis and Peridot both growled behind their gags and glared up at Jasper. Jasper shrugged at them. "What? They caught you off guard and beat you. We have to give them that, at least..."

Leggy cocked her head, confused, and posed a question. "But...uh...we didn't beat them in a fight, did we? We surprised them!"

Navy frowned and quickly clamped her hand over Leggy's mouth. "Leggy, _shush_! Don't make us look bad in front of Jasper! Eyeball will get mad at us..."

Eyeball flinched and then turned and sneered at Navy. "What did I tell you about calling us the names that that _Rose Quartz deviation_ called us?!"

Navy reeled back in fear and swallowed a lump in her throat. "I...I'm sorry...R-ruby..."

Eyeball narrowed her gaze at her team mate. "Good. _Ruby_."

Seeing a fight about to start, Army spoke up. "Hey, Jasper ma'am?"

Jasper turned her attention to Army. "Yes?"

Army furrowed her brow. "Where have you been? We've been to this planet twice and were never able to find you. The first time, that Steven thing told us you were on Neptune..."

Jasper sighed and rolled her eyes. "And how, exactly, would I have made it to a planet that far away? And, even if I were to make it there, where would I stand? That planet is mostly made of gas and frigid mist..."

Army nodded. "Y-yes...we noticed. But, when we came back, there was an Amethyst pretending to be you..."

Jasper buried her face into her hand and sighed. Army continued. "But she turned out to be a fake...so we all got blown out into space when we tried to fight them..."

Eyeball was blunt. "We've been looking for you for a while now ma'am! And we've still yet to find our Commander...and we're kind of worried about her..."

Jasper glanced down to the floor and shook her head. Their Commander...judging by the visor she was wearing...it must have been that Ruby that Bridget had Corrupted. Jasper sighed. "I'm...sure your Commander is fine..."

Eyeball nodded. "We're sure too! She's a strong Ruby. And she was prepared to do anything to complete this mission, given that it came from Yellow Diamond herself. She ought to be happy that we've found you!"

Jasper weakly smiled and nodded. "Good. Good. So, now that you've found me...your mission is done, right? You can take whatever ship you've arrived in, go find your Commander, and go back to Homeworld..."

Eyeball scowled and shook her head. "No ma'am. We have another mission to do while we're here! One that I take _great_ pleasure in doing..."

Jasper cocked her head. "And that would be?"

Eyeball grinned a genuine slasher smile. "We have to wipe out every traitorous Gem on this planet! They've crossed Homeworld, and _us_ , one too many times! _We have to take them, poof them, and shatter their Gems into a million little pieces! And we're going to make that Rose Quartz thing watch as we do it to each and every one of them!_ "

Jasper shook her head. "I see. So...you are here as a threat..."

Eyeball was confused. "Uh...excuse me, ma'am?"

Jasper took a new, more serious stance. All of the boredom and curiosity that had filled Jasper's eyes was replaced by a stern determination. Jasper looked up at the Rubies and spoke. "Allow me to be blunt. I've had a change of heart in regards to my relationship with the Homeworld. I'm no longer affiliated with them or their plans. My only goal now is to defend this planet, in the name of _MY_ Diamond, no matter the cost. And, in her name, I will not allow anyone to come here and threaten this mud ball..."

Army, Leggy, and Navy were all shocked. They recoiled back at Jasper's bold statement of betrayal. None of the three of them knew what to say in response. However, Eyeball didn't flinch back at all. She stood there, an uneasy look on her eye, glaring down at Jasper. "You..."

Army nervously stepped forward. "Ruby?"

Eyeball sneered at Jasper. "You _aren't_ Jasper. You _c_ _an't be_ Jasper! Jasper would...SHE WOULD NEVER BETRAY THE HOMEWORLD! You..."

Jasper raised an eyebrow. Eyeball roared out. "You're that _Amethyst_ again! And we're not letting you get away this time! Rubies! ATTACK!"

Jasper took a fighting stance as the Ruby Squad rained down onto her. She carefully took care of each of them, deftly dodging their knife strikes and harmlessly batting them away. She didn't want to hurt them. They were trying to be a threat. But, at the same time, they were _Rubies._..most of them were probably too thick to remember their name and facet. Jasper sighed as two of them charged her again. She smacked them both away and balled up her fists, she needed to resolve this as quickly and peacefully as possible.

The Ruby Squad all yelled and ran towards Jasper again. Their previous method of attack, blindly stabbing at her, wasn't working. So, in response, they switched to a more diverse method of attack. Navy and Leggy both charged and grabbed onto Jasper's legs.

Jasper groaned and bent over, reaching down to yank the two futily struggling Rubies fromher feet. "Come on! Get off me!"

However, as Jasper bent over to pull them loose, Army and Eyeball struck with attacks of their own. Army jumped on Jasper's back and proceeded to swing around, much like a chimp on a vine, using her hair. Jasper roared and began to swat at Army, wanting her to let go. Snapping her head back, Jasper tried to swing the Ruby off, but was met by Eyeball jumping onto and latching onto her face.

Eyeball screamed at Jasper as she clawed at her eyes. "Come on you Amethyst runt! Turn back into yourself and fight me Gem to Gem!"

While Eyeball was distracting Jasper, attacking her face, Army back up and lined herself up. The tough Ruby smirked. "Perfect."

And then, running as fast as she could, she sprinted towards Jasper and gave her a shoulder tackle to her lower back, sending the orange Quartz plummeting, face first, directly onto the coffee table in the center on the room.

The four Rubies stood up and began to celebrate. They had done it! They had toppled the imposter! Now, once they restrained her, hopefully the rest of the Crystal Gems would show up. Eyeball smiled and pulled out a roll of duct tape. "Start with her feet! We'll question her once she's tied up!"

The other Rubies nodded and began to work on Jasper, tightly wrapping her ankles with tape. But, unexpectedly, the Quartz stirred and snapped the puny bonds holding her ankles together. Jasper rolled over and glared at the four Rubies, summoning her Crash Helmet. "Okay, the four of you are starting to annoy me! _I liked that table_!"

Jasper stood and towered over the four, suddenly very outmatched, Rubies. Eyeball, Army, Navy, and Leggy all backed up in fear. Army's lower jaw quivered as she spoke. "Ruby...isn't that Jasper's Crash Helmet?! Her _famous Crash Helmet_ that split Hedonia's moon in two?!"

Eyeball swallowed a lump in her throat. "Th-that's just a rumor..."

Jasper immediately seized Army and Eyeball by their arms. She got right in their face and sneered. " _No it's not..._ "

Jasper roared and tossed Eyeball and Army away, sending the two aggressive Rubies sprawling into the kitchen. Jasper turned to Navy and Leggy and glared at them. In response, Leggy furrowed her brow, glared at Jasper, and stepped in front of Navy to protect her.

 **CRASH!**

 **CRASH!**

Eyeball stumbled out of the kitchen in a daze. She held her head and leaned onto Army for support as the two of them made their way back out to the fight. However, both were shocked, but not surprised, to come back out to the sight of a lone Jasper, glaring them both down, with two Rubies shaped holes in the wall behind her.

Army gritted her teeth and shook her head. "So you beat those weaklings! So what?!"

The aggressive Ruby charged at Jasper. "Just because you can fight with two newer Rubies doesn't mean-"

Jasper plucked Army from the ground, mid-charge, and held her with one hand. Using her other hand, balled into a fist, Jasper delivered three quick punches to Army's mid-section and tossed her dazed form out a window.

Eyeball glared at Jasper, pulling a chisel knife to defend herself against the larger, brutish Quartz. Eyeball growled under her breath and gripped the knife tighter. "I...I don't care if you have Jasper's Crash Helmet! You must have stolen it you _thieving Amethyst_! I...I'll take it back!"

Connie, Peridot, and Lapis, all still bound on the ground, watched as Eyeball charged at Jasper. Jasper didn't even react, waiting for the impetuous Ruby to make it to her. Connie shifted and turned to the still gagged Gems behind her. "Um...is that Ruby going to be okay?"

Lapis and Peridot both turned to one another, and then they turned back to Connie. Lapis shrugged her shoulder. "MM-HM-HM..."

 **CRASH CRASH CRUNCH KRSHHH CRASH!**

Peridot winced as Eyeball was sent careening through another section of the Barn's wall. " _Mmmmmmmmmmm..._."

 _Outside the Barn..._

Eyeball groaned as she shifted around in the pile of dessicated Shatter Machine parts. She...she couldn't believe it. She _couldn't_! This wasn't Jasper. Jasper would never so ardently defend such a worthless planet. If that were Jasper, she would be ripping this planet apart. All in the name of the Diamonds!

Eyeball began to crawl away as she saw Jasper coming. The bigger Quartz was collecting her team mates along the way. She was probably planning to shatter the lot of them once she had grabbed them all. Eyeball shook her head. "Just like those Crystal Gems...shattering innocent Gems just trying to do their duties. They're all just like _Rose Quartz_..."

But, as Eyeball was crawling away, her hand stumbled upon something. The Ruby soldier looked down and saw a strange device underneath her hand. It was some sort of projectile weapon connected to a tank. Upon closer inspection of the pile of rubble she had landed in, it appeared as if there were four of them.

Eyeball groaned and picked one of them up. "Pathetic Earth technology...better than nothing I guess..."

Jasper sighed as she approached the final Ruby. "Come on. Just give it up, okay? I don't want to have to go to any extreme measures to deal with you! Just give up before you make me have to..."

Eyeball turned and scowled at Jasper, brandishing one of the Onion Gang's flamethrowers directly at the larger Quartz. Eyeball narrowed her eye and, before Jasper could react, shot the flamethrower. Eyeball watched in astonishment as the Earth weapon, near instantly, wreathed Jasper in flames, sending her stumbling backwards and forcing her to drop the Rubies.

Army, Leggy, and Navy all stood up and Eyeball threw them each a flamethrower. "C'mon! Let's take her out!"

The four Rubies nodded at one another and then they surrounded Jasper, blasting her from four different angles with streams of flame. Jasper roared out as she became more and more engulfed in the inferno. "I swear, by the Diamonds, if you don't stop-"

Jasper was quickly interrupted by Army. The Ruby soldier wickedly grinned as she picked up a piece of the Shatter Machine and tossed it at Jasper, sending her flying into the nearby pool of water. The Rubies all gathered around the pond and stood ready, waiting to light Jasper up again.

Jasper sneered as she rose from the water. "You think that you can beat me with mere fire?! You think that you can beat me just by setting me on fire?!"

The Ruby Squad stared down Jasper, looking as if they were prepared to set her alight again. However, to Jasper's surprise, Eyeball chuckled. "Of course not! No matter what, you're still a Quartz..."

Eyeball turned to her fellow Rubies and shot them a quick hand signal. The other three nodded and, out of nowhere, all four of them quickly ran for the Barn. Jasper sneered and yelled after them. "Hey! Keep that dangerous nonsense out of my house!"

 _In the Barn..._

Leaping from Stabber's pool, Jasper ran after the Rubies into the Barn. However, as she ran through the doorway, Jasper was caught off guard by a stream of flames launching into her face. She she stumbled back and began to pat the flames out of her hair, the Rubies ran past Jasper once again.

The orange Quartz let loose a low growl and turned in the direction the Rubies had fled in, flinching in terror at the sight of the four of them and the person they had taken with them. Connie squirmed and struggled as she called out. "PUT ME DOWN!"

Jasper's eyes widened. "Oh no...CONNIE!"

Jasper wasted no time in giving chase, bounding out of the Barn at top speed and following the direction the Rubies had gone with their flamethrowers and their hostage: straight towards Beach City. But, in her haste, Jasper had forgotten one very important detail...

Lapis and Peridot both sat there, still bound on the Barn floor. It took a minute, but, eventually, Peridot realized what had just happened. "Mmm... _HHHHHHMMMMMMM!_ "

Peridot struggled and strained at her bonds, clearly angered beyond all understanding. " _HHHMMMM! GRM MMMN HHMM MMN HMMM MM HMM HRMM!_ "

Lapis sighed out through her nose as Peridot raged. The green Gem squirmed and shouted through the tape holding her lips shut until she accidently fell over onto her stomach. The blue Gem shook her head and, with some effort, turned her back to Peridot.

As Peridot raged on the ground, Lapis began to try to her attention. "Hm. Hm! _HM!_ "

Peridot continued to thrash and throw a fit. Lapis rolled her eyes. " _HMNMHMM!_ "

Peridot stopped and looked up at Lapis. Lapis sighed and used her chin to motion towards the Gem on her back. Peridot's eyes widened, her irises becoming star-shaped. " _HMMNRMM?!_ "

Lapis closed her eyes and nodded. Peridot cheered beneath her gag. Now, now she was excited! Inch-worming her way over to Lapis, Peridot knew what she had to do. Once she reaches her barn mate, Peridot reared back, and then she slammed her forehead into Lapis's back.

 _Down at Beach City Funland..._

The visitors to Beach City Funland were screaming at the top of their lungs as they ran from the theme park. But, despite the norm, their fear this time wasn't due to Onion and his gang doing their thing. No, this time, four new terrors were cutting a burning swathe through the park.

However, it wasn't due to a genuine want for destruction, or even lashing out due to loneliness, these four terrors were fighting against an even bigger terror to Beach City. Rampaging across Funland, Jasper and the Ruby Squad fought over their helpless hostage.

Eyeball roared as she levied her flamethrower at Jasper and blasted her. "At least drop that form you _purple coward_!"

Charging through the wreath of flames, Jasper reached down and grabbed Eyeball by her face. "Are you kidding me at this point?! Do I _look purple_ to you?!"

Eyeball gritted her teeth and growled back at Jasper. "Well...you could've gotten another tan!"

Jasper exasperatedly sighed. "You...you're joking, right? _A tan_?!"

Eyeball herself seemed quite unsure about what she had just said. For a moment, just a moment, she looked away from Jasper and seemed to reflect on everything she had learned over the past hour. She just looked...broken. But, then, Eyeball shook her head, fighting back the tears in her eye and screamed in Jasper's face. " _Yeah_! A tan! I know that Jasper would never betray the Homeworld, so of course it's a tan!"

Eyeball twisted in Jasper's grip. "Rubies! Let's fuse!"

The other three Rubies nodded and took a break from their torching of things to run over to Eyeball and fuse into a giant, four-Ruby Fusion. The giant Ruby roared, picking up Connie from where they dropped her and kicking Jasper across the pier.

The Giant Ruby Fusion placed Connie atop their afro and picked up the flamethrowers, strapping them to their forearms.

Jasper groaned as she pulled herself from the pile of debris that used to be Mr. Smiley's ring toss. She tossed an alien plushy away and stood. "Okay...a Fusion. At least that-"

The Giant Ruby Fusion walked up to Jasper with a twisted grin on their face. Aiming the flamethrowers down at the orange Quartz, they laughed like a madman as they opened fire once more, drowning Jasper in a sea of flames.

For a moment, it looked as if the Rubies had won, but they were quickly knocked away by a flaming fist socking them right in the jaw. Jasper erupted from the flames and grabbed the Giant Ruby Fusion's lower lip, pulling herself up and levying blow after blow directly into the Fusions face.

The Giant Ruby Fusion tried to torch Jasper again, but Jasper quickly kicked their arms away and sent them reeling back with a Crash Helmeted headbutt to the chest. And then, as they tried to recover, Jasper charged forth, rolling into her Spin Attack, and blasted directly through the Giant Ruby Fusion's chest, causing them to defuse back into the Ruby Squad.

Jasper walked up to Eyeball, sprawled out on the ground and dazed. The orange Quartz was _this_ close to just shattering her and ending this. But, as she looked down at Eyeball, Jasper couldn't help but feel something. It was something that her prolonged stay on this planet had instilled in her, something she didn't want, but couldn't ignore. Jasper, as she looked down at Eyeball, felt empathy for the Ruby soldier. Jasper sighed and spoke to her. "Now will you please, _please_ , just give up?! Please. I don't want to have to break you if I don't _have_ to! So just quit while you're ahead..."

Eyeball breathed in, and then out. In, and then out. In, and then out. Her breath getting faster and more shallow every time she took one. She sounded like she was about to break down and cry her eye out. But, then, to Jasper's shock and annoyance, Eyeball sat up and screamed in her face. " _NEVER!_ "

Eyeball wasted no time, pulling her chisel knife out of her Gem and stabbing Jasper in the foot. Jasper growled under her breath as she reached down to pull the chisel out, but this gave Eyeball the opening she needed. Acting quickly, the Ruby soldier ran up to her fellow Rubies and barked orders at them. "Hurry up and get up! Grab the flamethrowers! Grab our hostage! We don't have long!"

Navy struggled to stand up. "But, Eyeball, we can't-"

Navy was interrupted by a hand going across her face. Reeling from the slap, the shy Ruby stared in fear at Eyeball. Eyeball glared at Navy, dead serious. "If you call me that Earth name again I'll _shatter_ you."

Navy was speechless. Eyeball barked another order. "Now pick up the hostage and follow me."

This time, all three of the Rubies obeyed Eyeball without question. They grabbed their weapons and they grabbed Connie and they fled towards the closest structure to hide in. They fled to the Ferris Wheel.

The three Rubies and Connie all piled into the car on the ground. Eyeball quickly joined them, but not before activating the Wheel controls, sending their car into the air. And then, once they were halfway up to the highest point they could reach, Eyeball chucked her chisel knife down to the controls, breaking them and leaving their entire party stuck in the air.

Jasper shook her head as she looked up at the Ferris Wheel. "Agh...how did my day come to _this_?"

However, before Jasper could react to this latest strategy by the Rubies, she was joined by four unwelcome guests. Jasper sighed as the Crystal Gems came running up to her. And, almost immediately, Pearl began demanding answers. "What is going on here?! Did you just decide it would be fun to spend the day wrecking this place?!"

Jasper glared down at Pearl. Pearl glared back up at her. Finally, after a tense moment, Jasper sighed and turned to the other three, completely ignoring Pearl. "I don't know who they are, but these four Rubies just showed up out of nowhere and said that they had been looking for me for a while now..."

Steven gasped. "Oh, the Ruby Squad is back?"

Jasper nodded. "Yeah. And, apparently..."

The orange Quartz turned a side eye to Amethyst. " _You've_ pretended to be me before? Because their leader is insistent that I'm you in disguise..."

Amethyst smiled and winked at Jasper. "You bet sis! Held your form for quite a while too! Pretty impressive, right?"

Jasper groaned and rolled her eyes. "Yeah. Whatever. You, Fusion. How are we going to stop these four?"

Garnet faintly sneered at Jasper, but she quickly tried to think up a strategy. "Hmm...they have a hostage, right? They have Connie up there with them?"

Steven gasped. "Is Connie okay?!"

Pearl was furious. "Well, we can't just stand here! We have to go up there and-"

Garnet held up her hand. "No. At least one of the Rubies up there is of an unstable mind at the moment. If we go to them, they might do something to harm Connie in retaliation. We need to think of a different strategy."

However, before they could think of a proper plan, Eyeball had spied on them. Looking over the side of the Ferris Wheel car, she glanced down and saw that Jasper had been joined by the Crystal Gems. She looked down and saw the Pearl, that Ruby/Sapphire fusion, that Amethyst pretending to be Jasper, and that deviation of Rose Quartz.

Eyeball smiled a wicked smile. "Perfect..."

And then, motioning for the other Rubies to put on their flamethrowers. And then, after re-taping Connie's mouth shut, the four of them levied their flamethrowers over the side of the Ferris Wheel car and Eyeball screamed out an order. " _FIRE!_ "

The Gems and Jasper barely had time to dodge the flames as they retreated by a line of hot dog carts. Steven sighed and summoned his Bubble just in time to avoid the flames that were wreathing around the metal carts. "What do we do now?"

Amethyst sighed. "We could just wait until their flamethrowers run out of fuel..."

Pearl shook her head. "No. If we wait for that, Eyeball will focus all of her attentions on Connie. We can't let Eyeball hurt her!"

Jasper sneered. "So what do we do?!"

Garnet, however, smiled. "I think everything is going to be just fine."

Jasper turned to Garnet and frowned. "And how would you know that?"

Garnet grinned and adjusted her sunglasses. Steven smiled. "Oh, right, Future Vision! What did you foresee Garnet?"

Garnet chuckled. "We still have two more allies who aren't here, and their water and metal powers are about to play a big part in helping us stop the Rubies."

Amethyst smiled. "Oh, right! Lapis and Peridot aren't here!"

Jasper gasped and clamped her hand over her mouth. Pearl turned to the orange Quartz. "Is something wrong?"

Jasper ran her fingers through her hair. "Uh...I...uh...I left Lapis and Peridot tied up in the Barn. And, I don't think either of them are strong enough to break out of that duct tape all by them...Oh, by the Diamonds...now I'll have to deal with _her_..."

Pearl was confused. "Deal with who?"

Pearl's question was answered, near immediately, by the streams of flames assaulting Steven's Bubble just coming to a stop. The Crystal Gems and Jasper all left the Bubble and looked over the hot dog carts and, to their surprise and relief, they saw the four Rubies, all staring in shock at the sight of their flamethrowers iced over.

And then, before the could defrost them, all for of the flamethrowers were pulled away and tossed far out into the ocean. The Rubies all stared on in fear as the being that had taken their weapons stepped forward.

Mr. Smiley, hiding behind the counter to the Funland Popsicle Shack, was outraged to see two Puma Pop Popsicles, green apple and blue raspberry, fly out from behind the counter. "Hey! You going to pay for those?!"

In response, the cash register behind the counter flew open and a handful of quarters hovered out, landing in Mr. Smiley's hands.

The Crystal Gems, the Rubies, and Jasper all watched as this new Gem approached. She was a pretty normal looking Gem. Her skin was seafoam green, as were her two Gems, the one on her forehead and the one on her back, she had two eyes, one blue and one green, two legs, and a nice, full head of greenish-blonde hair, styled like Lapis's hair, with dark blue tips, atop which sat Peridot's visor, acting as a pair of sunglasses.

Her outfit was neat and simple, a pair of black and green pants that completely covered her lower legs, barring her big toes and pinky toes which were sticking out of the fabric wrapping her feet. Her top was a simple, blue, flowing shirt dress with a black diamond containing a star in the center of it.

However, this new Gem did have one oddity. Her arms were bifurcated at the elbow. Each of her arms ended in two forearms and two hands.

In her right two hands, she was carrying a parasol. Upon closer inspection, this parasol was actually made of a bent stop sign for a handle and a thin sheet of ice acting as the top part.

This new Gem strolled up to the others, a warm, cheery smile on her face. "Hey Loves! Everyone doing well today?"

The Gem looked down at Jasper and glared. "Jasper."

Jasper sneered and turned away from the new Gem. The Gem sighed and shook her head. "So, it's nice to meet you all! I've been meaning to make an appearance for a while, but the need hasn't really come up! So..."

Steven smiled and stared up at the new Gem in wonder. "You're...you're the Fusion of Lapis and Peridot right?!"

The new Fusion smiled and offered one of her hands for a handshake. "Yes. Yes I am! It's especially nice to meet you Steven!"

Steven grinned from ear-to-ear. "It's nice to meet you too! What's your name?!"

Chrysocolla met Steven's handshake and cheerily smiled. "Nice to meet you too Love. My name is Chrysocolla! Please to make your acquaintence!"


	27. Chapter 27: Chrysocolla

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 27: Chrysocolla**

 **A/N: Sorry this one took so long. I...kinda rewrote two characters a couple of times. But, I think I like how everything has turned out for this Chapter and can't wait to hear your thoughts. Remember, if you have any questions about how I've written characters, just PM me. I'd be more than happy to discuss! :)**

 **Also, uh, I don't know if anyone reading this likes Pokemon, Overwatch, or Ace Attorney, but I have a couple more projects coming up if you're a fan of my work. Either way, have a nice day and enjoy this Chapter. It's the penultimate of the "Return of the Rubies" arc!**

 **Also, about Chrysocolla, she does have a slight British accent (if anyone picked that up). This is mainly due to me having Mrs. Feraligreater328 read her lines to make sure they sounded good and just naturally adding her vernacular to the character, so I hope everyone is cool with that.**

 _At Beach City Funland..._

Chrysocolla smirked, finishing her Puma Pop Popsicles as she strode forward, towards the Rubies. "Now, just stand back Loves, you'll just get in my way..."

Jasper sneered at Chrysocolla. " _What?!_ "

Chrysocolla shot Jasper a snide look. "What do you mean _'what'_? I just told you, brute, I can handle those four invasive pips all on my lonesome. The Crystal Gems are absolutely not required, and neither are you. I'm sure that the humans would appreciate you not destroying their beautiful city..."

Jasper clenched her teeth and growled out. "So, after all of the work I put in to fighting these four, you think you can just swoop in and take them from me?! I can _handle_ this!"

Chrysocolla brought her hand to her mouth, smirking and letting loose and arrogant laugh. "Oh so? Then why isn't it handled Jasper?"

Jasper flinched back. Chrysocolla cracked a bigger smile. "Is it, perhaps, you're loosing your touch? Or are you just totally useless without Fusion at this point? Or! Or...maybe your just jealous that I'm here and Malachite isn't..."

Jasper was shaking with rage. Chrysocolla winked at her and turned away. "Now, admittedly, I won't be able to solve this kerfuffle totally damage free...I will be forced to destroy just a tad..."

Chrysocolla frowned and calmly shut her eyes. She twirled her parasol on her finger as she slowly strolled toward the Ferris Wheel. But, suddenly, she stopped, laughed to herself, and smiled. "Tee ha ha ha ha ha ha...but, _only a tad!_ "

Chrysocolla snickered and thrusted her open parasol at the Ferris Wheel cart the Rubies were holed up in. "But, nonetheless, with my incredible skill, unspeakable power...and _sleak, sexy form_...I'll handle this crisis with a level of grace and precision that _certain ruffian Quartzes_ could never envision being capable of!"

Jasper roared in anger, attempting to charge Chrysocolla but being held by the Crystal Gems. " _GRAH! STUCK UP SNOB!_ "

Chrysocolla yawned and waved Jasper off. "Unwieldy bore..."

As Chrysocolla began to walk away once more, Jasper's rage broke. She shoved her way past the Gems and began to charge at Chrysocolla once more. " _OH, YOU STUFFY, ARROGANT BI-_ "

Jasper was cut off from her charge by Steven's Bubble suddenly appearing around her. Furious, she turned to see a terrified looking Steven staring up at her. Jasper smashed her fists against the Bubble and screamed. "LET ME OUT!"

Steven shook his head. "Jasper! That's a Fusion of Lapis and Peridot. They're your friends! Why are you trying to attack their Fusion?!"

Jasper roared and stomped her foot onto the pier, shattering the wood beneath her foot. "You're absolutely right Rose's Spawn! That _is_ a Fusion of Lapis and Peridot! Specifically, it's a Fusion of Lapis's _UTTER INDIFFERENCE_ and Peridot's _GIGANTIC EGO_! You think _I'm_ bad, imagine those two personality traits with that much _raw power_ behind them!"

Steven flinched back and swallowed a lump in his throat. Jasper nodded. "Yeah, gulp."

Pearl glanced over at Chrysocolla, her face streaked with worry. "So, she's going to..."

Jasper shook her head. "I can tell you this, she's _not_ going into this caring about those Rubies lives..."

Chrysocolla sniffed and frowned as she walked forward, using her upper left hand to wipe under her nose. "Now then...allow me to share with you Rubies up there, I am quite annoyed! You've broken into my home, you've assaulted my friends, and you've embarassed my components! So, you irritating little rabble, this is your one and only chance to surrender!"

Chrysocolla cheerily smiled. "And remember, you get but one choice in this. Choose wisely or face a terror like you've never so dealt with in your dull lives..."

Chrysocolla smiled and crossed her lower set of arms, using the upper set to scratch at her cheek and twirl her parasol. And, unbeknownst to anyone observing her, she was liquifying a layer of ice on her parasol in anticipation.

Up in the Ferris Wheel Cart, the four Rubies discussed there options. Connie, shoved into the corner, struggled to be free of her bonds. The Rubies ignored her as they talked. Navy looked uneasy. "I...have a bad feeling about that Fusion. I...I think we should just give up..."

Leggy was confused. "Uh...what are we talking about?"

Eyeball growled and pulled her chisel knife from her Gem. "I'd rather be _shattered_. But I swear I'll go out shattering as many of these traitors as possible!"

Army sinisterly smirked and nodded in agreement. "Yeah! You're right Ruby!"

The aggressive Ruby soldier stood up and shouted over the side of the Ferris Wheel Cart. "You here that you stupid Fusion?! We'll never give in, you hear us! We'll never, EVER, give in and give up to you stupid re-"

 **STAB STAB STAB STAB STAB STAB STAB STAB STAB STAB STAB STAB**

Eyeball and Navy both stared on, utterly horrified, as Army fell back, her entire face and upper body filled with ice needles, and poofed. Navy's jaw nearly dropped to the floor. "Eyeball! What was-"

Eyeball, herself, was totally speechless. "She...she didn't even hesitate..."

Navy crawled over to her team mate and grabbed her by the shoulders, tears building in her eyes. "Eyeball! We're outmatched! We _can't_ beat her! We should just-"

Eyeball growled and shoved Navy back. " _Don't_ call me Eyeball."

And then, out of ideas, Eyeball crawled over to Connie and grabbed her by her hair. And, with a mighty pull, she slinged Connie over the side of the Ferris Wheel Cart, dangling her by her hair, and held her chisel knife to her throat. "Now listen here Fusion!"

Chrysocolla looked up but remained utterly unimpressed. Even as Connie dangled there, kicking her legs in terror, Chrysocolla could manage no more than a bored frown.

Over by the Gems, Jasper called out to her fused allies. "Chrysocolla! Come on! Are you really just going to stand there and watch?! Do something!"

Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl all exchanged a knowing look with one another. Pearl summoned her spear. "Jasper was right, we can't leave this to her!"

Garnet nodded. "Agreed. Let's go!"

The Crystal Gems all moved to go and intervene but, as they were running up, a wall of solid ice sprang up in front of them. Amethyst growled and smashed her fist against the wall. "What is she doing?! She's going to get Connie hurt!"

Jasper furrowed her brow. "I told you! She might seem like a well-balanced, polite person, but she's more obsessed with her own ego and proving how powerful she is! And now, now that she's gotten involved, she's not going to let you interfere!"

Amethyst turned to Jasper and frowned. "But why?! We just want to help out!"

Jasper bowed her head. "Because Chrysocolla doesn't have the same doubts and inhibitions that Lapis does. And it's made her extraordinarily _arrogant_ in the face of trouble. She isn't going to see that she's in the wrong until it blasts her in the face...she's even worse than I was when I first came back to this planet..."

Steven groaned and lowered his Bubble. "So, what do we do Jasper?"

Jasper sneered. "It's too late now. Now that she thinks she can handle this, she'll actively try to stop us from interfering. It would be more dangerous to try to but in than to just stand and watch at this point..."

Back over by the Ferris Wheel, Chrysocolla stood there, watching Connie dangle. Eyeball, still scared out of her mind, barked at the Fusion again. "Didn't you hear me?!"

Chrysocolla snorted and began to twirl her parasol on her finger again. Eyeball's eye began to twitch. "Aren't you even listening?!"

Chrysocolla cleared her throat and stole two more Puma Pop Popsicles from Mr. Smiley, eating them and not paying any attention to Eyeball whatsoever. Eyeball was rapidly becoming livid. "Hey! I'm talking to you! De-fuse now or-"

Chrysocolla glared up at Eyeball and shot her and absolutely frigid smile. And then, quickly slinging her parasol forward, she shot another battery of ice needles at Eyeball. In a panic, the Ruby quickly retreated back behind the metal, losing her grip on Connie.

Connie fell from the sky, screaming behind the tape over her mouth and squeezing her eyes shut, bracing for impact.

 **BOMPF**

Connie, hyperventilating, opened her eyes and was immediately surprised. She felt cold as she sat up. And, looking around, it was easy to see why. Connie looked down and saw that she had landed in a gigantic bank of snow. Chrysocolla, giggling to herself, walked up to Connie and pulled the tape from her mouth. "Don't be so scared sweetheart. I would never allow you to fall..."

Connie took several deep breaths as Chrysocolla removed the tape from her wrists and ankles. The human girl looked up at the new Fusion and shook her head. "I...thought I was..."

Chrysocolla, clearly not noticing Connie's distress, gave the girl a stiff pat on the back. "Well, you're fine now Love! So hurry along! Off with you! I'm about to..."

Chrysocolla chuckled to herself and glared up at the Ferris Wheel Cart. "I so _rarely_ get to be formed...I think I'm about to cut loose _a tad._.."

Feeling the malice emanating off of Chrysocolla, Connie got up off the snow and ran behind the ice wall. Finally, with the battlefield clear, Chrysocolla cracked all four sets of her knuckles and prepared to get to work.

Up in the Ferris Wheel Cart, Eyeball was trying to think. She buried her face in her hands and groaned. Navy, now properly freaking out, was practically begging Eyeball. "Please! Can we just surrender?! She's going to shatter us!"

Eyeball growled and reached up, grabbing Navy by her collar. "I told you, no matter what we-"

 **CRUNCH**

Eyeball and Navy both looked up and were horrified at what they saw. The Ferris Wheel Cart was crushing in. The two Rubies both stood and tried to flee to the window, only for them to immediately bend shut. The three of them that were left unpoofed were all stuck. Stuck in an increasingly shrinking ball of metal.

Tears built in Navy's eyes as she turned to Eyeball. "CAN WE PLEASE SURRENDER NOW?!"

As Eyeball struggled to come up with something to say, Leggy turned to her two comrades and asked a question. "Wait...what's going on?"

Chrysocolla smirked as she slowly crushed the Ferris Wheel Cart around the Rubies. She squeezed and squeezed and crushed and compressed until the Cart popped off of its fasteners. And then, with an airy laugh, she slinged more ice needles at the Cart, completely impaling it and dropping it to the ground.

Chrysocolla frowned and walked up to the crushed, metal ball. Plucking it from the ground and, with little apart, tearing it in two. And, from the center of it, fell Eyeball, Navy, and two poofed Rubies. Chrysocolla picked up the two poofed Rubies and Bubbled them, sending them away.

And then, looking down at the two remaining Rubies, Chrysocolla once again broke out into a fit of snide laughter. "Tee hee ha ha ha ha ha...look at the two of you..."

Eyeball shakily stood and sneered, brandishing her chisel knife. "Wh...what's so-"

Chrysocolla interrupted. "Are you really about to ask what's so funny? Really? Because I can tell you..."

As Navy quickly scurried to hide behind her, Eyeball was literally becoming steaming mad. The Ruby soldier bowed up to the much larger Fusion in front of her and demanded an answer. " _WHAT IS IT?! WHAT'S SO FUNNY?!_ "

Chrysocolla snorted and glared down at Eyeball and Navy. "Why...you two little bobbles are! I mean...do you even see the situation you're in?"

Navy shivered. "What situation?"

Chrysocolla smirked. "Allow me to explain. I know you Rubies have trouble...shall we say, comprehending? Yes, your poor, tiny minds have trouble comprehending _basic subjects_. But, fear not, I shall explain. You're in over your heads! You're just _poor, dumb, weak, disposable_ soldiers. You think you have a chance, but you have _none_! The only way you've been able to succeed today is by ganging up on and surprising people. And, if you were not able to do that, you would have lost just the same as your are now. The only difference would be that my _majestic presence_ would not be prostrated before you."

Chrysocolla chuckled. "In summation, I apologize for using such big words by the way, _you never had a chance at succeeding to begin with_!"

Navy gasped and took a trepidacious step back. Eyeball showed no outward fear, but she recoiled back as well. The two Rubies looked up at the Fusion, seeing the genuine malice and hate in her eyes, and they both shivered.

Chrysocolla snickered to herself. "And, wow, the more I look at you, the more I feel it..."

Navy cocked her head. "Feel what?!"

Chrysocolla nodded. "Maybe blame Yellow Diamond's callous dismissal of Peridot. Or maybe blame Lapis's unjust imprisonment at her hands _the moment_ she returned home after being stuck on this planet for so long..."

Finally, the cheery facade melted and was replaced by one of cold, undisputed rage. "But those Yellow Diamond's on your bodies are making me rather... _absolutely livid_..."

Chrysocolla reached behind her and plucked the ice wall from the ground. The Fusion raised it up into the air and hovered in over herself and the Rubies. Chrysocolla sadistically smiled and shook her head. "And now...I think I'm going to extract some _revenge_..."

And then, with a flick of her wrist, Chrysocolla brought the ice wall down, instantly dissipating it into a huge cloud of mist, blanketing all of Funland in a thick fog. Eyeball and Navy stared up at Chrysocolla, totally confused. The Fusion, in response, shattered the covering on her parasol and formed a thin blade in its place, creating an incredibly sharp sword.

Chrysocolla snorted as she laughed and glared down at the two Rubies. "I'll enjoy hunting you both down...but please, make me work for it..."

Chrysocolla twirled her sword around her finger and backed away into the fog, laughing all the way.

Now alone, and with the haunting laughter of Chrysocolla still echoing, Eyeball and Navy turned to one another. Eyeball seized Navy by her shoulders. "Okay...I know this looks bad! But, listen to me, I need you to stay with me! If we stay together, we can-"

Navy, finally hitting her breaking point, threw Eyeball's hands off of her. And then, screaming her head off, she ran away into the fog. " _PLEASE! LEAVE ME ALONE! I SURRENDER!_ "

Eyeball quickly tried to run after her last, remaining team mate. "Get back here! Don't leave me, I need your help!"

However, it didn't take long for Eyeball to get lost in the mist. The Ruby soldier looked around, frantic and lost, and tried to find her missing ally. But to no avail. Finally, after stumbling around for a few more minutes, making no headway in finding Navy, Eyeball cried out. "What's going on here?! RUBY! _RUBY!_ "

Once more, Chrysocolla's laugh echoed through the fog.

Thoroughly freaked out, Eyeball turned tail and ran the opposite way. As she ran, she cried out. "Listen here! I don't care how scary you are! When I find Ruby, we'll fuse and-"

Eyeball, as she was defiantly crying out, was interrupted as she ran into something large and solid. The Ruby soldier fell to the ground and sighed. "Darn it...what the heck-"

"Oh, it's you."

Eyeball's eye widened. She quickly stood and looked up to see Jasper towering over her. The Ruby soldier gagged in disgust. "You! You disgusting Amethyst! There's no need to keep slandering Jasper by using her face! So why don't you just-"

Amethyst chuckled as she stepped out from behind Jasper's leg. "What about a disgusting Amethyst?"

Eyeball gasped. The Ruby soldier fell to the ground, speechless. She stared up at Jasper and Amethyst as they both walked towards her, staring in stunned disbelief.

Jasper, seeing the look of shock on her face, sighed. "Look. I've tried to explain this already. And you didn't listen. And now you're stuck here having to deal with _Chrysocolla_ of all Fusions! So please, I'm _imploring_ you to listen to me! Just stop this!"

Eyeball shook her head. "Why should I?!"

Jasper raggedly groaned and ran her hand over her face. "Two reasons. One: You're outnumbered and surrounded..."

Eyeball gasped and looked all around her, seeing Pearl, Garnet, Steven, and Connie had all gathered around her. Jasper shook her head. "And two: The longer Lapis and Peridot stay fused, the worse it gets. Lapis's pent up aggression and issues are feeding more and more off of Peridot's ego and lack of personal inhibition. As much as Chrysocolla is destroying the lot of you physically, you're wrecking her mentally! She's giving into her own personal urges more and more and I don't know how long we have before the pressure causes her to _really snap_!"

Garnet sighed. "That...is really sad to be honest. Just looking at Chrysocolla, Lapis and Peridot seem to be enjoying being with one another..."

Jasper nodded. "They do. Peridot is...surprisingly good at drawing out feelings that you'd rather not openly display. When I with her...as Ammolite...I feel a lot more free to play around and have fun, to drop the serious facade that I try to keep up when I'm myself. I guess, when she's fused with Peridot, that Lapis just feels more free to let loose..."

Jasper shook her head. "But that's beside the point! Look, Ruby, just give this up! Just stop. Because, at this point, I'm not sure I could stop Chrysocolla is she gets to you first!"

Eyeball stood and shook her head. "No. No no no. I...you aren't Jasper! You...you can't be-"

Jasper snarled. "Oh will you come off of that?! I am Jasper! Now will you-"

Eyeball shook her head as tears started to build in her eyes. "No. NO! Jasper would never betray the Homeworld! _JASPER WOULD NEVER_!"

Eyeball coarsely wiped the tears from her eyes and turned from Jasper and the Crystal Gems. "RUBY! RUBY! Where are you?! I need back up! We can still win this!"

Silence. For a single, bloated moment, there was silence. And then...

" _ **AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHH!**_ "

Everyone, from Eyeball to Jasper to the Crystal Gems all looked shocked at the blood-curdling scream. Connie swallowed a lump in her throat and nervously asked the question on everybody's mind. "What was that?"

Pearl shivered. "It...it sounded like a Ruby..."

Eyeball cried out into the fog. "Ruby! Are you okay?!"

After a moment, Eyeball was answered. Tumbling out from the fog, directly in front of her, Eyeball came face to face with Navy. At first, Eyeball smiled at the sight of the familiar face. But then, that smile turned to a scowl of pure horror as Navy's head came tumbling off of her shoulders, landing on the ground and poofing.

As her last ally's Gem clattered to the ground, Eyeball stared forward into the mist. And then a single, seafoam green hand came shooting out and seized her by the throat.

With a clap of her hands, Chrysocolla dissipated the fog and revealed a truly sinister smirk spread across her face. She glared at Eyeball, held tightly in her grip, and began to laugh. The Fusion walked by Navy's Gem, totally ignoring it, and slammed Eyeball against the metal framing of the Ferris Wheel.

Chrysocolla continued to laugh. "So, that was fun! The look of shock and despair on her face as I swung my blade... _immensely satisfying_..."

And then, in a horribly dissonant manor, Chrysocolla instantly switched back to her more cheery persona. "So, Love, anything to say before the 'ol poof and Bubble?"

Eyeball wasn't even trying to hide it any more. She was utterly terrified as Chrysocolla held her in her grip. As Chrysocolla smiled her cheerful, happy smile, Eyeball spat a terrified insult in her face. "You're a monster! You hear me?! You're a monster!"

Chrysocolla snickered and shook her head. "No dear, you're quite confused. The Diamond's are monsters...I'm nothing more than the angst born from their abuse! Now, leave my sight! Being seen with a wretch like you is bad for my image..."

Chrysocolla pulled back her blade, ready to run Eyeball through. However, as she prepared to thrust, her arm came to a sudden halt. Chrysocolla turned her head and glared at the one who had stopped her: Garnet.

Garnet held on to Chrysocolla's upper left arm and tried her best to remain calm. "That's enough. You need to go."

Chrysocolla chuckled. "Pardon me?"

Garnet shuddered and shook her head. 'Physically, you're one of the most perfect Fusions I've ever seen. You almost look like a normal Gem. But...you're not a good thing! And you just admitted it. You aren't a good experience, you're pain given a physical form. You're almost as bad as Mala-"

Using her lower left arm, Chrysocolla shut Garnet up with a quick strike across the face.

The other Gems gasped. Jasper tensed up. "This is going south really fast..."

Garnet stumbled back, her shades falling to the ground and poofing out of existence. The Crystal Gem leader quickly regained her balance and instantly turned her attention to Chrysocolla, nearly glaring a hole through the haughty Fusion.

Chrysocolla shrugged and smirked at Garnet. "What?! Did you think bringing up the M-Word wasn't going to warrant such a response?"

Garnet growled, summoning a new set of shades and her Gauntlets. Chrysocolla snickered. "Oh, I see, you wish to test whom the better Fusion is. Well...that's fine! We can get right down to it the moment I'm done with my current duty..."

As Chrysocolla pulled back her sword, preparing to stab Eyeball through, she was suddenly sent off balance by a quick sucker punch from Garnet. The new Fusion's smile faded. She dropped Eyeball to the ground and turned to Garnet, slinging her sword over her shoulder.

Seeing a fight about to break out, Pearl instantly got inbetween the two Fusions, noticably flinching back upon noticing, for the first time, that Chrysocolla stood a full head above Garnet. Pearl shook her head and held up her arms. "Please, both of you! Let's not fight amongst ourselves!"

Garnet and Chrysocolla continued to glare at one another, but, suddenly, Chrysocolla chuckled and turned away from her latest adversary. "I couldn't agree more..."

The Fusion stomped up to Eyeball and smiled. "I still have this one to deal with! After all, she's the rude one who led the others to break into our house and tie us up!"

Chrysocolla raised her sword into the air. "So let us put this to a quick end!"

Chrysocolla let loose a laugh and slashed her sword downward. Eyeball looked up at the blade, seeing nothing less than her own shattering raining down onto her. The Ruby solider held her hands up in defense, not that it would help.

Time seemed to slow as Eyeball thought back to everything that had happened since this mission began: She was fooled, she was fooled again, she was blasted into space, she was saved by her enemy, she had failed to kill Rose Quartz, she had made her way all the way back to this planet, she had lost her entire team, she had discovered that her greatest hero had betrayed the Homeworld, and now she was going to be poofed by a shameless display between a decoration and a purposely defective science Gem.

As the sword fell, all of these thoughts ran through Eyeball's head. They swirled around in her mind and built up until there was only one thing that she could do. Eyeball screamed at the top of her lungs!

And then, something incredible happened.

As she screamed, not knowing what else to do, Eyeball activated a power she didn't know she had. And everyone stared at this power, in utter shock, as it came flying towards them. Eyeball screamed at the top of her lungs and, as a result, released a gigantic wreath of flames out at all of her enemies surrounding her.

Chrysocolla's eyes widened as the flames came towards her, smashing into her, melting her sword, and causing her to defuse into the unconscious forms of Peridot and Lapis. The two Homeworld Gems went tumbling across the boardwalk and into the water.

The Crystal Gems and Jasper, all surprised, were only saved from the blast by the timely intervention of Steven's Shield.

Meanwhile, Eyeball continued to scream, releasing wave after wave of flames until, in one super heated moment of utter rage, she disappeared.

Stepping out from behind Steven's Shield, the first thing Jasper did was locate and Bubble Navy's Gem. And then, she walked up to the spot where Eyeball once was. Immediately, she was joined by the Crystal Gems. All of them stared at the burning hole in the pier where Eyeball once stood and tried to figure out what had happened to the last member of the Ruby Squad.

Amethyst was the first to speak. "What happened to her? Did she...did she shatter?"

Jasper grunted and took a knee, looking through the hole in the wood and seeing another deep hole in the sand leading farther and farther down into the Earth's crust. Jasper shook her head and sighed. "She's burning so hot that she's melting through the Earth's crust. You all take care of Lapis and Peridot, I'll go after that Ruby..."

And then, without another word, Jasper leapt through the hole in the pier and down into the hole in the Earth. She had one last Ruby to deal with before this was all over.


	28. Chapter 28: Long Live the Diamonds

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 28: Long Live the Diamonds**

 **A/N: Okay, so this is it for the "Return of the Rubies" arc. After this, I give out what everyone's been asking for, the "Jasper-demption" is coming soon and I hope everyone loves it! :)**

 **Also, from my understanding, people are taking "Uneasy Frenemies" as a prequel to this story. At first, I wasn't sure I wanted to do that, but I guess it's cool if everyone wanted to think of that story as a preface to this story. I suppose it could fit. Either way, I hope you enjoy this Chapter.**

 **And finally, after this Chapter, updates might get weird for a little bit. I want to start writing a couple of new stories, so it might take me a minute to come up with a good writing schedule. But, don't worry, I'm having too much fun with this story, so I'm not abandoning it! I'm just trying to work a good schedule out.**

 _Somewhere deep in the Earth..._

Jasper remained quiet and focused as she, in her cat form, crawled deeper and deeper into the Earth. As she went down, Jasper could help but wonder if that Ruby would ever stop melting through the planets crust.

But, she knew that she had to find her. And quickly. Jasper grumbled as she made her way down. "If she reaches the Cluster this planet is doomed..."

Finally, after a few more minutes of scaling down the melted hole, Jasper arrived at the place where Eyeball had ended up. It was a gigantic, underwater lake. Jasper shifted back to her normal form and fell down onto the shallows, her feet barely submerged by the water.

Jasper looked around, hoping to find any sign of the errant Ruby. And then, she called out to her. "Hey! _Eye Gem Ruby_! Where are you? It's time to put this to an end!"

No response.

Jasper gritted her teeth and called out again. " _Come out_! I know you're down here!"

Once again, no response. Jasper looked around, scanning the area for any sight of the Eyeball. But, despite there barely being anything to hide behind, Jasper saw nothing. The Quartz growled and cried out. " _WHERE ARE YOU?!_ "

 **SIZZLE**

Jasper quickly turned, snapping her head towards the sizzling noise that popped up behind her. Looking at the water, Jasper frowned when she saw a thin waft of steam rising from one particular spot in the water. Jasper groaned and shook her head. "This is why I didn't want to have to fight you poor Rubies! You have so little control over your emotions that it's impossible for you to be stealthy..."

Jasper plunged her hand into the water. "Now then, why don't you..."

Jasper stopped mid-sentence. And then, she pulled her target from the water. However, rather than be a Ruby causing the steam in the water, it was a superheated rock. Jasper cocked her head. "What the-"

But, in that brief moment of distraction, Eyeball struck. Dropping from the cave ceiling, she latched onto the back of Jasper's head and, coating her hands in flames, she raked her fingers across the bigger Quartz's eyes.

Jasper cried out in pain and stumbled forth. Eyeball, producing her chisel knife and heating it to a white hot state, jumped from Jasper's back and immediately began working on the Quartz's right leg. Jasper snarled and, with a quick turn, booted Eyeball across the water with a swift kick from the left.

Eyeball quickly regained herself as Jasper's eyes readjusted and then, once both were back on their feet, they glared at one another. Jasper sighed and shook her head. "Now...will you _listen_?"

Eyeball sneered at Jasper. "I don't listen to _traitors_!"

And then, with a battle cry and two balls of flame in her hands, Eyeball charged Jasper.

Jasper lowered her gaze and blocked both fireballs with her arms as Eyeball tossed them. The Ruby soldier jumped at Jasper, in the confusion, and began to stab at the Quartz with her chisel knife. Jasper, without much effort, blocked each knife strike and eventually sent Eyeball flying with a punch to the gut.

Jasper groaned as Eyeball got back up again. "Why are you still doing this?! Can you at least tell me that?! Why?!"

Eyeball remained silent. Jasper, looking absolutely flabbergasted, continued to shout out questions. "You do realize what's happened here, right?! You've discovered a new power! A power that you aren't supposed to have! How do you think the Diamonds will feel about that?! You think they'll praise you for it?! You think they'll give you more authority and your very own Pearl for that?!"

Once more, Eyeball didn't speak. Jasper snarled. "Because you know that they won't! I'm sure you've noticed what happens to Gems on Homeworld who discover that they're capable of more than the Diamonds want them to be! They just... _vanish_."

Eyeball sounded utterly bitter. "So what's your point? They vanish. That could mean anything. Why would someone of a higher rank show up at their old position?!"

Jasper, this time, was silent. Eyeball yelled back at her. "For all you know, the more powerful Gems just got promoted to a new position where they didn't have to be looked upon by the lesser ones! That's what happened back in the old hierarchy!"

Jasper sneered at Eyeball. "You know as well as I do that the old hierarchy died when _she_ did..."

Eyeball sadly smiled and chuckled. "You know...that might be true...but at least I don't _hang out_ with her killers!"

Eyeball screamed and released another wave of flames. Jasper quickly blocked and was caught off guard by a running headbutt to the stomach. The Quartz stumbled back slighty and got a flaming right hook to the jaw for her troubles. Jasper wiped the singe mark from her face and responded with a giant powerbomb straight into the water, extinguishing Eyeball's flames.

Jasper shook her head. "You think I want to hang around the Crystal Gems?! You think I invited them to but into things today?! Because I didn't! I don't want to have anything to do with the lot of them because, you're right, they're still the ones who shattered Pink Diamond!"

Eyeball pulled herself from the water. Jasper snarled. "I'll _never_ forgive them for that! But, that doesn't mean I'm going to let Yellow Diamond have her way and destroy my h-"

Jasper stopped mid-sentence. And thought about what she was going to say, and then she changed her mind. "I'm not going to let them destroy my _place of birth_ and my Diamond's planet! Yellow Diamond has no right to do so. No matter what, this is Pink Diamond's territory, not hers!"

Eyeball sneered. "Spoken like a true traitor! Speaking out against her Diamond!"

Eyeball charged again, this climbing Jasper's chest and getting in her face. The Ruby summoned a giganitc ball of flames in her hands and swung it right at Jasper's head. Jasper sighed and didn't even move to defend.

Eyeball smiled widely as she engulfed Jasper's head in flames. Thinking she had won, she dropped to the ground and began to celebrate, only to be disappointed when the flames cleared away and it was revealed that Jasper had summoned her Crash Helmet.

Jasper remained silent for a moment, looking down at the aggressive Ruby. And then, she sighed. "She's not my Diamond. None of the three of them are! My Diamond died a long time ago. And, going be the reverance in your voice when you speak of her, _so did yours_!"

Eyeball, slowly becoming angrier and angrier, began to back away. For each step she took backwards, Jasper took a step forward. Jasper was practically begging Eyeball to listen to reason. "Please! Just stop all of this! I don't want to have to shatter you! I don't! You have a way out of this..."

Eyeball sneered. "And what would that be?"

Jasper gripped her top and pointed to the Pink Diamond sigil directly in the center of it. "You have a Diamond to swear allegiance to! Join alongside me and help me defend her memory! You have an amazing new power that you could use! We could work together and force the Homeworld to remember her! We can get justice for our Diamond!"

Eyeball, continued to back away, remaining silent, until her back hit a rocky wall. The Ruby turned and looked behind her, and then she took a look at what was in front of her. She was literally trapped between a rock and a hard place. Eyeball stopped for a moment, she considered her options, and then she shook her head. "No. Pink Diamond is gone! I miss her, but she's gone. I belong to Yellow Diamond now and it's my duty to fulfill her will to it's fullest..."

Eyeball glared at Jasper. "It was my job to find you, to bring you home. And I still intend to do that job...it just looks like I won't be doing it with you coming willingly..."

Jasper sneered at Eyeball. "If you think you can take me in a fight..."

Eyeball snapped back at her. "I'll never know unless I try! You might be one of the toughest, most legendarily brutal Quartzes in the history of the Homeworld, but that doesn't make you invincible!"

Jasper sighed. "Listen-"

Eyeball roared back at her. "No! You listen! If you have any respect left for your fellow Gems at all, you'll shut your mouth and come at me with everything that you've got! No more talking, just fighting! _Be the Jasper that I've heard so many stories about_!"

Jasper looked down at the Ruby, staring up at her with such contempt. The Quartz closed her eyes and thought. Despite it all, she didn't want to hurt this poor, little thing. This Ruby was only following orders. She was just doing what she was told. She wasn't inherently bad, just being led by the inherently bad. But, at this point, Jasper wasn't seeing any other option. The orange Quartz sighed. "You want my best...?"

Jasper wasted no time in lifting her foot and stomping Eyeball down into the rocks. "You got it."

Jasper seized Eyeball by her arm and slung her around in the air. The Ruby meekly tried to defend herself with a fireball with her free hand, but Jasper quickly grabbed that hand into a vice-like grip and snuffed the fire out. And then, after laying several brutal knees into Eyeball's chest, Jasper tossed her across the lake, watching the Ruby skip like a stone until she collided with the wall on the other side of the cavern.

Eyeball tried to stand, but was met with Jasper's spin attack. Eyeball was effortlessly slammed into the wall and grinded against the rocks until she cried out in pain. And then, Jasper stopped the spin and simply began to pummel Eyeball in the face until she stopped moving.

Eyeball groaned as she step forward, raising one of her hands and summoning a small flame. Jasper stared down a the determined Ruby with zero pity in her eyes. And then, as Ruby prepared to throw the flame at her, Jasper stomped on Eyeball's hand, crushing it into the water.

Eyeball tried her best to pull the hand loose, but to no avail. Jasper reached down and wrapped her hand around the Ruby's neck, pulling her from the water and holding her aloft. Jasper sighed in disgust at what she had done, but it didn't change the fact that Eyeball was totally defeated.

Jasper shook her head. "Now do you see why I-"

Once more, the Quartz was interrupted. But, this time, it was not by a scream of rage, but rather a laugh. Jasper was confused as she watched Eyeball, limping hanging from her grip, laugh at the predicament. Jasper was annoyed. "What's so funny?!"

Eyeball shook her head and giggled. "Nothing. Nothing. It's just...this just proved it to me..."

Jasper flinched back. "Proved what?!"

Eyeball glanced at Jasper and smiled at her with utter admiration. "It proved to me that you're still you, ma'am! It proved to me what I knew all along!"

Jasper was confused. "And what would that be?!"

Eyeball chuckled. "I knew it! I _knew_ it! This is all an act! Underneath the way you're acting in front of the other traitors up there, you're still you! You're still just as brutal, and efficient, and violent as I've read! And, knowing you and your dedication to the Homeworld and it's cause, I know now that this is all an act! You're playing them up there! You lulling them into a false sense of security and then-"

Jasper shook her head. "No! You're wrong. In this case, you're 100% wrong! I'm out to protect this planet for Pink Diamond! I'm am absolutely no affiliated with Yel-"

Eyeball burst out into laughter. "Of course you are! Of course..."

Eyeball winked at Jasper. "D-don't worry ma'am. Your secret is safe with me! As long as you're here, doing your best to catch those Rebels off guard, I'm sure the Diamond's are smiling kindly on you! _Long Live the Diamonds_!"

Jasper shook her head. "No! You're not-"

Eyeball cried out again. " _Long Live the Diamonds_!"

Jasper was getting angry. "Listen to-"

Eyeball cried out again. " _Long Live the Diamonds_!"

Jasper implored Eyeball. "Will you st-"

Eyeball cried out once again. " _Long Live the Diamonds_!"

Finally, Jasper snapped. Poofing her Crash Helmet, she reared back her head and launched in directly into Eyeball's face. " _WILL YOU SHUT UP_?!"

Jasper recoiled in horror at what she had just done. She looked down at the water, seeing Eyeball's Gem just floating there where it had landed. Jasper shook her head and ran her fingers through her hair. "No..."

The Quartz reached down and picked up Eyeball's Gem, gripping it tight in her hand. "No...why? Why wouldn't you just listen to me?"

Jasper squeezed Eyeball's Gem. "You...you remembered her. We could've been..."

Jasper fell to her knees. "We could've been..."

At the Barn...

Peridot and Lapis both awoke with a start on their bed. The two of them looked at one another, and then they looked up at the ceiling, both sighing at the sight of three Rubies floating up there in Blue, Green, and Orange Bubbles.

Peridot stood up. "I'll...I'll take those three to the Shatter Machine silo and store them with all of the others..."

Lapis nodded and held her head. "Yeah...okay..."

As Peridot quickly gathered up the Ruby Squad and carried them out the back door of the Barn to the Bubble Storage Silo that they had built out of the remains of the Shatter Machine's outer shell, Lapis got up and summoned her wings, flying over to her reading nook.

And, sitting there in her chair, Lapis found a small, hand-written note.

 _Hey Lapis and Peridot!_

 _After you guys passed out, we brought you back here to rest. The Gems know that you don't like for them to be there, Lapis, so they decided that it would be best if we all went back to Beach City._

 _If you guys would like to hang out when you wake up, just hop onto the Warp Pad and come visit us, we'd love to have you!_

 _Sleep well. :)_

 _Steven and Connie_

Lapis sighed and placed the note onto her table. The blue Gem sat in her chair and stared down at the shattered remains of her tea cup. She shook her head, now she'd have to go and buy a new one.

After a few moments, Peridot came back in. The green Gem looked around the Barn and was immediately worried. She made her way up to Lapis and nervously posed a question. "Where..."

Lapis sighed. "I don't know Peridot. I barely recall anything from when we were fused, much less what happened to Jasper after we were taken out..."

Peridot fell to the ground and crossed her legs. Lapis sighed and leaned her head against her fist. "But, going by how many Rubies were floating there, she's probably still off hunting down Eyeball..."

Peridot cocked her head. "And the Crystal Gems aren't trying to help her?"

Lapis rolled her eyes. "Would Jasper want them to help her?"

Peridot nodded. "Good point."

Lapis and Peridot both sat there, silently. The two of them occasionally sneaked a look at one another, but otherwise the remained totally quiet. Eventually, Lapis spoke. "I..."

Peridot nodded. "I know. We'll...do it better next time, okay? We do it better next time. We...just need to work out your issues some more. You can't keep everything bottled up, Lapis."

Lapis smiled and nodded. "I know."

Lapis sniffled and wiped a tear from her eye. "I...I love you Peri. You're the best barn mate ever..."

Peridot smiled from ear-to-ear and pulled Lapis down into a gigantic hug. Lapis quickly returned the hug and squeezed Peridot tight. "Okay...next time we form Chrysocolla...it'll be better..."

And then, suddenly, two more orange bubbles appeared, floating in mid-air near the Barn ceiling. Peridot chuckled. "I guess Jasper won."

Lapis, however, was confused. "But...why are there two of them?"

Peridot cocked her head. "I don't know...why don't we check?"

Lapis nodded and sprouted a pair of wings, flying up to the Bubbles and grabbing them both, bringing them back down. One Bubble, containing Eyeball's Gem, was quickly placed aside. The other, containing a chunk of rock, was quickly popped.

Lapis and Peridot both looked down at the chunk of rock, examining it and finding that there was a message carved in it's surface. As they read it, Peridot and Lapis both quickly became distraught. Carved in the rock was a message from Jasper. It was simple, merely four words, but it instantly concerned them both.

 **I need time alone.**


	29. Chapter 29: Lapis and Peridot's Day Out

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 29: Lapis and Peridot's Day Out**

 **A/N: Just a quick one this time. I'm putting off the "Jasper-demption for a couple of Chapters. But, I hope you enjoy this one. I need some extra time to plan out and think.**

 _At the Barn..._

Lapis looked over the side of her reading loft, down at the floor and sighed. She was still sitting there, waiting. Peridot sat there, on the floor, staring at the front door and elevated entrance to the Barn. The little green Gem's face was set into a worried frown. She wanted some sign, _any sign_ , that their third barn mate was home. Just a little flash of orange, that's all Peridot wanted. Just one, little, orange flash of hope...

It had been three days. Three days since that note had shown up in its orange Bubble. It had also been three days since Peridot have moved from that spot. She had planted herself there and chosen to wait. She wanted to be the first one to welcome Jasper back.

Lapis was starting to worry about her. She had spent three sitting in her loft, reading books and drinking tea, and hadn't heard a peep from Peridot. She had been in the same room as Peridot for three days and hadn't heard her voice _once_! And that was truly worrisome.

And, out of that worry, came a different worry. Lapis sat down her book and finished her cup and began to wonder just where Jasper was. And, beyond that, she wondered just what had happened to make her larger, orange friend need to take such a hasty break.

Lapis sneered as she put her cup down. She sighed and whispered to herself, her anger extraordinarily clear. "Do you not realize just how worried about you we are you selfish..."

Lapis shook her head and glanced back down at Peridot. She whispered to herself again. "One Gem at a time, Lapis. One Gem at a time..."

Lapis glided her way down next to Peridot. "Hey Peri, you okay?"

Peridot remained silent. Lapis frowned. "You've...you've been sitting here for a good bit. What say we watch some TV together?"

Still no response.

Lapis frowned even harder and stood, walking over to the TV and clicking it on. Quickly searching for something to catch Peridot's attention, Lapis flipped through the channels until she hit something she new would catch her little, green slice of pie's attention. The TV began to flash and blare a theme song that, even though Peridot loved it, Lapis couldn't stand.

 _CAPTAIN QUAZAR!_

 _HE OUT TO SAVE THE UNIVERSE!_

 _CAPTAIN QUAZAR!_

 _HE'S OUT TO SAVE THE DAY!_

 _CAPTAIN QUAZAR!_

 _WITH HIS SIDEKICK ALLANA!_

 _CAPTAIN QUAZAR!_

 _HE HAS THE FINAL SAY!_

 _EEEEEEVIL_

 _WILL NOT WIN THE DAY!_

Lapis cringed at the last note of the song. She absolutely detested the theremin. But, she forced a smile. "Peridot! Captain Quazar is on! Come watch it with me."

Still no response.

Lapis stifled back a scream. There had to be something she could do to get Peridot to respond. Something. Anything! And then, surprisingly, Captain Quazar provided her the answer she needed.

 _And remember kids! If you want to meet Captain Quazar and Allana the Alien, you can!_

 _Today, at Empire Books in Empire City, the Captain and Allana will be signing the latest issue of Captain Quazar Comics for any fans who show up! Be there, young Quazars!_

Lapis grinned from ear-to-ear. This was it, this was what Peridot needed! Lapis stood from the couch and went to the safe, grabbing out a huge pile of cash. And then, the blue Gem walked up to her green friend and smiled. "Peridot! Get up."

Peridot glanced up at Lapis, seeing a huge smile of the blue Gem's face. Peridot sighed. "Why?"

Lapis smiled and held up the wad of cash. "We're going to Empire City!"

 _The Air Above Empire City..._

Peridot faintly smiled as Empire City came into view. From her position, seated on Lapis's back, she could see the entirety of the sprawling Metropolis. Peridot giggled and leaned down, wrapping her arms around Lapis's neck. "So, where's the bookstore?"

Lapis shook her head. "I looked it up, the signing isn't until 5 PM. So, we have some time to waste."

Peridot cocked her head. "So what are we going to do for the next four hours?"

Lapis smiled and reached into her pocket, pulling out the money. "Let's go have some fun!"

 _Empire City..._

And, with that, Lapis and Peridot went out and enjoyed their day. The two Gems ran up and down the sidewalks of Empire City, taking in all of the ambience as they passed by each and every shop.

They went to several different stores: Empire City Boutique du Haut Mode, Empire City Luxury Motors (where they crashed and bought a _really expensive_ car), Empire City Mini-Golf, and Empire City Confectionary. But, as time passed, 5 O'Clock eventually rolled around.

As they walked down the sidewalk, Lapis with her coffee and Peridot with her ice cream, the two Gems were both excited as they walked towards Empire Books. Peridot was practically jumping with joy. "Oh my Diamond! I can't believe that I get to meet Captain Quazar and Allana! I want to ask them so much! Like how they defeated _Emperor Neech_ , and how they solved the _Black Hole Crisis_ , and it they've ever been to any Homeworld-controlled planets! And..."

Lapis chuckled as she sipped her coffee and slightly adjusted the new, poofy hat she had bought earlier. "I'm sure they'd love to answer all of your questions, Peri."

Lapis reached into her pocket and pulled out $150.00. Lapis tapped Peridot and smiled as the green Gem turned. "Here Peri. This is for you to go buy the full Captain Quazar collection to get it signed! I hope you enjoy it!"

Peridot gasped and smiled, her irises going star-shaped. "Really?!"

Lapis nodded. Peridot jumped up and cheered. "Oh! Thank you Lapis! _Thank you so much_!"

Lapis grinned and Peridot jumped into her and gave her a huge hug. The blue Gem remained outwardly calm but was secretly thrilled. Peridot was finally back to her old self. Lapis watched as her little friend sprinted to the bookstore. This day was going swimmingly.

 _Empire Books..._

Lapis and a very-excited Peridot both stood in line. Lapis watched as all of those ahead of them in line got to the front, but then left with a disappointed look on their face. Lapis sighed. "I sure hope there isn't anything wrong..."

Finally, the two of them got to the front and were met by a warmly smiling woman with green face paint. Despite Peridot's insistence, it was pretty clear that this was no alien, but rather a human in a costume. But, Lapis remained politely silent as Peridot had her moment.

For her part, Allana was polite. She calmly and happily answered every one of Peridot's many questions, laughing and some be seriously answering some others. And she left a really nice note for Peri alongside her signature as well. It was all going well. Peridot was having a blast and Lapis was happy that her friend was happy. But then, Peridot asked one question that there wasn't a happy answer to. "So...where's Captain Quazar?"

Allana sighed and frowned, her face showing clear signs of annoyance. But, she put on a big smile for Peridot. "The Captain...has business to handle. Emperor Neech was leading an attack on Hydrus and..."

Peridot smiled. "Oh...okay. I mean...as long as he's saving the universe, I guess..."

Lapis frowned at the sight of sadness on Peridot's face. Very quickly, she intervened. "Wait! Peridot! How about we go out to dinner, huh? You keep telling me that there's this restaurant that you've been wanting to go to. Let's go there and eat! How does that sound?"

Peridot weakly smiled, clutching her comic to her chest. "O-okay..."

Lapis nodded. "Right, let's go!"

As Lapis led Peridot away, she turned back towards the signing table and saw the unhappy look on Allana's face. The actress frowned and shook her head, silently staring at Lapis and mouthing an apology. "I'm sorry..."

Lapis sighed and nodded, waving Allana off.

 _Empire City Steak and Sushi House..._

Lapis and Peridot both laughed as they sat and ate with one another. The two of them, despite the most recent bump in their day, were still enjoying themselves. Peridot had ordered a plate of sushi and sirloin steak for them to share. Lapis chuckled as Peridot told her gossip about other Peridot's back on the Homeworld and chugged on a bottle of steak sauce that had been brought to the table.

Peridot shoved a handful of sushi into her mouth and continued to chat. "So...*GULP*, B4RB and L15A are unable to get the Emerald Hands calibrated and this big, nasty looking Chert is heading our way...I think she was off to go conquer a polar climate planet...is was polar climate, right...?"

Lapis snickered. "I don't think the planet matters all that much, Peri."

Peridot nodded. "Yeah. I guess you're right. But still...I swear it was a polar...OH MY DIAMONDS!"

Lapis flinched back. "What?!"

Peridot jabbed her finger at one of the tables behind Lapis. The blue Gem turned a saw the person Peridot was pointing at, an olive-skinned fellow with a goatee sitting across from a blonde woman in a red dress. Lapis cocked her head. "Who's that?"

Peridot smiled wide. "That's Captain Quazar! He must be back from his mission!"

Lapis sighed and rolled her eyes. "Peri..."

Peridot reached into her bag and pulled out her _Captain Quazar Collection_ and a pen. "I...I wonder if he'd be willing to sign this for me?"

Lapis turned to her friend. "Peridot. Wait a-"

Peridot hopped up and hoisted her comic over her head. "Watch my food! I'll be right back!"

And then, before Lapis could say anything, Peridot was already running across the restaurant. Lapis sighed and turned to watch the food.

Lapis sat there and waited. And she waited. And waited. And waited. And waited. And then she began to worry. What was taking Peridot so long? The table wasn't _that_ far away...

And then, as Lapis was about to stand up, Peridot came back. Her head was hung low and she wasn't saying a word. Lapis frowned. "Peridot?"

Peridot didn't say a word. Lapis furrowed her brow. "Peridot. Please quit playing the quiet game with me. Is something wrong?"

Peridot raised her gaze to Lapis and, immediately, Lapis could feel a twinge of anger rush through her. Peridot's eyes were built up with tears as she clutched her book close to her chest. Lapis stood up and slammed her hands onto the table. "What happened?!"

Peridot shook her head. "Noth-"

Lapis immediately got into Peridot's face. "Don't 'nothing' me! _What happened?!_ "

Peridot sniffled. "I...I got excited and went up to Captain Quazar. And I told him how awesome I thought he was, and how Steven and I both liked him, and how I wished he would go and teach the Diamonds a lesson..."

Lapis was fuming. "And?!"

Peridot shook her head. "And that woman called him _Kent_ , and she asked him what I was talking about...and he called me a dweeb and a loser...and he told me to get a life and get some real friends...and..."

Lapis quickly stood up and turned around, glaring across the restaurant as Quazar and his date as they left. Quazar was admonishing a server for "not keeping riff-raff" away from him. Lapis turned back to Peridot and quickly grabbed her comic and her pen. "You order some dessert Peri! I'll go get your autograph!"

Peridot wiped her eyes. "You will?"

Lapis nodded and winked. "You can count on it!"

A few minutes passed. The server had brought Peridot her cake (he even waived it off of their check). As Peridot sadly ate the cake, she turned her gaze to the door every couple of seconds, waiting for Lapis to come back.

Finally, as she ate the last bite, Peridot looked up from her plate and saw Lapis's smiling face. Lapis didn't say a word, she just handed back Peridot's comic and her pen and grinned as Peridot read the message hastily scribbled inside the cover.

 _Hey there little Quazar!_

 _The Captain regrets having to treat you so poorly!_

 _That woman I was with is a Zxysquarian in disguise that I'm trying to pull info from._

 _The Universe depends on it!_

 _Now, I'm trusting you with this info because I know you're such a loyal fan._

 _So keep at it little Quazar._

 _Sincerly, Captain Quazar!_

Peridot smiled and hugged the comic close. "Wow...he was just undercover, huh?"

Lapis smirked and nodded. "Yep. But I followed him and right as he was arresting that...uh..."

Peridot filled in the blank. "Zxysquarian?"

Lapis nodded. "Yeah. That. Right as he was arresting that woman, I asked him if he would give you his autograph...seeing as he didn't have to be undercover anymore!"

Peridot smiled down at the book. "Wow...thank you Lapis. I never would have thought to..."

Lapis clamped her hand on Peridot's shoulder and smiled. "Hey, what are friends for? Now, why don't we head home before it gets too late. We can sit down and watch a movie."

Peridot smiled. "Yeah. That sounds fun."

Lapis smiled back. "Good. Now, let's make our way out the rear exit! It'll be like we're taking a..."

Lapis pulled the comic from Peridot's hands and flipped through it. "Wormhole...? Yeah, it'll be like we're taking a wormhole back to Beach City!"

Peridot grinned. "Okay. Rear exit it is!"

Meanwhile, out the Restaurant's Front Door...

The Empire City Police all worked hard with their pick axes as they worked to chip Captain Quazar and his date out of the block of ice that had frozen over their limo. The woman whined at the police chipped away. " _This is the worst date ever! Your limo is cheap and I was frozen! When I'm free I'm dumping you!_ "

Captain Quazar sighed and leaned his head into his free right hand. "Great. Absolutely perfect..."

 _ ****Star Iris Out****_


	30. Chapter 30: Mother

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 30: Mother**

 **A/N: In spite of a rather...disappointing week. I still wanted to work hard to get this out. I rewrote it a few times, just to make sure it was absolutely perfect. And, now that I'm done, I'm happy with the results of what I came up with. I hope you all enjoy it too! :)**

 _The Beta Kindergarten..._

It was a thick fog that had cast over the Beta Kindergarten. A fog so thick that it could barely be seen through. And, in this fog, in the distance, a dim light shone from the far off Warp Pad. With the fog and the light of the setting sun, the glimmering of the transport hub was barely visible, nor was the small-in-stature form that ran from it.

This small, child-like form ran across the openess of the Beta Kindergarten, searching for an all too familiar hole. This hole, one that she had visited many times since she had first been introduced to it, most likely contained the person she sought.

The small Gem ran up to the hole and, grabbing onto the leg-shaped lower ledge and pulled herself up, cracking a smile as she peered into the depths and saw the larger form of who she was looking for. The Gem reached into her shirt and pulled out the _Sad Waffle_ flashlight that she had borrowed from Steven. The Gem smiled. "Hey... _Sis_..."

Amethyst crawled further into the hole, making her way deep within towards the person she had been looking for: Jasper.

Jasper was sitting at the very back of her hole, her face buried into her knees. Despite the clatter that Amethyst made as she crawled further towards Jasper, the brutish Gem didn't even bother to lift her head. She just sat there, silent and brooding in the darkness of her former birthplace.

Amethyst sighed, stopping within arms reach of Jasper. She curled into a sitting position, throwing the length of her hair over her shoulder and reaching out. "Sis...?"

Jasper quietly grunted and glared up from her knees, staring daggers at Amethyst before burying her face again. Amethyst smiled. "Something told me you'd be here, Sis. I go back to my hole too...when I'm not feeling well. It feels more like home to me than anywhere else..."

Jasper remained silent. Amethyst frowned and shook her head. "Peridot and Lapis miss you ya know. I went to the Barn with Connie and Steven today...and the two of them seemed so worried..."

Amethyst crossed her arms. "Poor Peri, in particular, seemed like she wasn't feeling too well with you gone..."

Jasper spoke up. "She's not the only one who isn't feeling to well..."

Amethyst perked up. She turned to Jasper and faintly smiled. "What's up?"

Jasper remained tight-lipped. Amethyst snorted and chuckled. "Jas, come one. We're all alone here Sis, and I don't even plan to tell anyone that I came here. Even you need to vent eventually, why not your friendly, neighborhood fellow Quartz?"

Jasper grumbled. "You're annoying me..."

Amethyst pursed her lips and stared at Jasper. She wanted a better response than that. After a tense stare down between the two, Jasper sighed and began to speak. "I'm...having a bit of a crisis...to be honest."

Amethyst nodded. "What's up?"

Jasper groaned. "Something that that Ruby said...got to me..."

Amethyst nodded, but remained silent. She wanted to let Jasper speak at her own pace. Jasper took a deep breath and continued. "I've been thinking about it for the past 5 days...I'm just..."

Amethyst cocked her head. "Just what?"

Jasper shook her head. "I'm not sure just how...'over' Homeworld I am. I mean...as bad as it was, Homeworld was my home. And...I still can't quite fathom that I've given it all up for the sake of a planet that I barely know. That Ruby...she just made the question come further up in my head: Why did do all of this in the first place?!"

Amethyst smiled. "What about Pink Diamond? You're siding with Earth for her sake, right?"

Jasper burst out, roaring in furious anger. " _BUT WHY?!_ "

Amethyst recoiled back, Jasper slammed her fist into the wall. "Why am I fighting for Pink Diamond?! _PINK DIAMOND IS DEAD!_ "

Amethyst opened her mouth to speak, but Jasper quickly cried out over her. "That Ruby was able to get over it! She's moved on from Pink Diamond! She's gone on with her existence! And yet...I'm sitting here...in a hole that I haven't seen in thousands of years..."

Jasper dropped her face back onto her knees. "And I just can't come up with _why_..."

Amethyst shook her head and frowned. "I'm...not sure I could help you with that, Sis."

Jasper growled and sneered. " _Then why are you here?!_ "

Amethyst smiled and sat back. "Cuz you're just like me. You come and sit in your hole when you need to be alone. When you need to think..."

Amethyst shook her head. "Can I tell you something, Sis?"

Jasper narrowed her gaze. " _What?_ "

Amethyst smiled. "I want to tell you the reasons that I go to my hole. Maybe...maybe that'll help you figure some stuff out...?"

Jasper fell silent for a moment, a confused look spreading across her face. But then, she went right back to scowling and buried her face back into her knees. "Whatever..."

Amethyst smiled and spoke up. "Well...the main reason I come here is, at least nowadays, when I miss Rose. I was alone at my Kindergarten for a while, didn't know who or what I was. I had a pile of rocks for a family and didn't think there was anymore..."

Amethyst sighed. "And then, Rose came along. The others, Garnet and Pearl, they didn't know what to make of me at first...they didn't know whether to trust me or keep me around...but Rose didn't care about the possibility of what I might be...she cared about what I could be..."

Jasper looked up from her knees. Amethyst was still smiling, but it was different this time around. Her smile was less jovial, more sad. "None of them ever told me I was too small. They never told me that I would have been considered a runt. Rose, and eventually Garnet and Pearl just encouraged me to be the best I could. They always made me feel special..."

Jasper's attention was now fully rapt. Amethyst frowned. "And then Steven was born. And Rose was gone...

Amethyst sighed and wiped away the beginnings of tears from her eyes. "So, now, whenever I go back to my Kindergarten...it's just to remember the day that she found me. To remember her..."

Jasper was curious. "But why? What does Rose Quartz mean to you that you'd want to be alone just to remember her?!"

Amethyst smiled and sighed. "Well...she was kind of like...my _Mom_ , in a way..."

For a moment, Jasper seemed as if she was going to let something slip through the cracks, but then her angry facade came back _en force_. "I don't know what _'Mom'_ is...but I don't care! How would Rose Quartz, _Pink Diamond's murderer_ , help me to realize _anything_ about what I'm feeling or why I'd betray my Homeworld?!"

Amethyst shook her head. "A Mom is what human's call the person that made them or helped to take care of them as they grew up. Steven calls Rose his Mom because she was one of the two people that helped make him...I call her my Mom because she helped shape me to be the Gem I am today..."

Jasper fell quiet. She sat there, deep in thought. Amethyst sat there as well, waiting to see what Jasper would say in response.

Finally, after a long, pregnant pause, Japser spoke. "So, what you're implying is...the reason I can't get over Pink Diamond...is because I've taken on an inferior Earth mindset that she's my... _Mom_?"

Amethyst grinned. "I mean...she ordered that you be made. And she's responsible for the mindset you were taught when you were made. So...technically..."

Jasper reeled back, leaning against the rock wall behind her, the gears in her head clearly cranking and turning. Amethyst nodded to herself, she had made dent in Jasper's gigantic layer of armor. Now she just had to keep pressing. "So, Sis, would you tell me about Pink Diamond? I'd like to know more about her...if you'd be willing to share. I mean...she's kinda the reason I exist too..."

Jasper sighed. "She...was a young, dynamic, new Diamond. The newest and freshest of the four of them. And Earth was supposed to be her first planet. Her first of many..."

Amethyst nodded. Seeing the look of curiosity in the purple Quartz's eyes, Jasper continued. "The Gems who were spawned on this planet idolized her. She was...kind and compassionate by the standard of the Diamonds. Unlike Blue...she was willing to accept anyone. Unlike Yellow...she was willing to be questioned. And, unlike White...she was willing to tolerate _some_ levels of failure..."

Jasper warmly smiled. "She didn't care what it took from this planet. Whatever we, the fledgling beginnings of her army, needed, she would provided for us. We were taken care of and primed for success. Because she swore she'd be as successful as the other Diamonds some day..."

Amethyst grinned. "I bet you and her talked a lot, huh? It sounds like she was your best friend!"

Jasper's smile quickly fell into a bitter frown. "No."

Amethyst flinched. Jasper continued. "I was spawned one year beforehand. Rose Quartz's Rebellion had been causing more and more trouble. She was attacking and disabling Kindergarten's for the ' _sake of the planet and its lifeforms_ '..."

Jasper sighed. "I was told that my creation was a turning point. And I was told that Pink Diamond was impressed, that she wanted to meet and commend me..."

Jasper buried her face in her hands. "I was told...as I arrived at the Moon Base, that something awful had happened. I pushed my way to the throne room, my Diamonds inner-chamber, and..."

Amethyst had a sad look in her eye. She looked away in shame. "And...?"

Jasper's voice sounded utterly hollow. "My Diamond's shards were scattered across the floor. Rose Quartz had killed her and fled..."

The orange Quartz returned the head to the familiar spot on her knees. "The only time I had ever gotten to see my Diamond was as a pile of shards on the floor. Her empire dead before it even got a chance to live..."

Amethyst sounded heartbroken. "Jasper...I'm sorry..."

Jasper shook her head. "What's done is done. Pink Diamond and Rose Quartz are both gone. And I _wasn't there_ for either of their deaths..."

Jasper reached down and scraped her hand across the glassy rock of her hole. "Now all that's left of either of our _'mothers'_ is this planet..."

Amethyst smiled. "So...that's why we defend it. Right?"

Jasper flinched back. Amethyst smiled. "We're both tough Gems...but we still want to make them happy above all else. We...feel like we owe it to them, right? We owe them more than we could ever imagine and we want to defend the planet they both fought for...even if they fought for different reasons..."

Jasper nodded, a faint smile on her face. "Yeah...I guess so..."

Another long silence. The two Quartzes both sat there, reflecting on what they had just shared with one another. And then, Jasper spoke. "Thanks... _Sis_..."

Amethyst gasped, her eyes both wide. Jasper pushed Amethyst out of the hole with her foot and then crawled out after her. "I...I needed that. Thank you..."

Jasper reached down and grabbed Amethyst's hand, helping the smaller Gem to her feet. The orange Quartz shook her head. "I'll...I'll be home soon."

Amethyst smiled up at Jasper, who immediately scowled. "What's with that dumb expression, runt?!"

Amethyst shook her head and chuckled. "Nothing. Just glad you're coming back..."

Amethyst pulled out the Sad Waffle flashlight and flicked it on. "Beach City Beach Fest is happening in a week, and Steven and I wanted the three of you guys at the Barn to come down and enjoy it with us...so it's cool that you'll be home..."

Jasper cocked her head as Amethyst and her flashlight disappeared into the fog. She shook her head and walked the other way.

Making her way up to the fogless upper ridge of the canyon, Jasper stared back down at the foggy depths of her birthplace, and then she glanced up at the Moon. Jasper remained silent as she thought back to the day she was supposed to meet her Diamond.

And then, wordlessly, she sprinted off into the distance.


	31. Chapter 31: What's in the Box?

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 31: What's in the Box?**

 **A/N: And so it begins, the plot point that I've seen questioned the most by readers of this story! The plot point that a few have theorized on and a few have tried to guess: The Jasper-demption arc! I've been thinking of this arc since I started this story, and I've refined it quite a bit, so I hope you all enjoy it! :)**

 **Also, it's a bit far off, but...if any of you have an OC that you'd be willing to allow me to use as a minor character in a future arc, I'm currently trying to gather about 20 or so. If you'd like more info, just PM and I'd be willing to explain to you exactly what I'm doing. And I will be crediting anyone who happens to allow me to use their character. Unfortunately, I do need you to have a Fanfiction or Reddit account to do this (my Reddit is the same as my FF username). Otherwise, all I have is my email and I don't want to give that out over something anyone can read. Either way, if you'd like to allow me to use it, I'd love to have your character in this story! :)**

 _Somewhere in an Eastern European Hillside..._

Two deer grazed on the grass of the hillside. They had made the foray from their nearby forest home into the lush green splendor of the grassy knoll, fancying themselves a taste of the greener grass. Slightly down the hillside, two birds sat perched on a long abandoned truck, watching the ground intently for the morning mealworms to rear their heads from the dirt. It was an all around peaceful morning for the animals of this ecosystem.

The peace didn't last.

Very quickly, the deer fled into the treeline and the birds flapped away as a harsh wind came blowing through the field. This harsh wind was quickly followed by heavy rains and relentless hail. And then, thunder rumbled and lightning stuck as, over the distance, a gigantic storm cloud quickly sped over the field. This storm cloud was followed closely behind by four pursuers.

Connie, Steven, Lapis, and Peridot all ran as fast as they could after the raging storm. Connie had Rose's Sword resting on her shoulder, Steven had his Shield summoned, Lapis scowled as the seemingly sentient storm roared at it's pursuers. "Okay, _screw this!_ "

Lapis's held out her arms and grabbed onto the water molecules in the cloud, halting the storms progress and making it cry out in anger. Peridot quickly ran up and called up to the storm. "Please stop! We want to _help_ you!"

The storm cloud turned over, revealing it's eye, a small blue and red glimmer shining within. The eye stared down at Peridot, and then it widened, and then it cried out in agony!

The cloud quickly spread out, pulling free of Lapis's grip, and it began to attack it's pursuers, trying it's best to shred them away with bitter hail, harsh wind, and brutal blankets of water. Lapis groaned and grabbed her comrades, retreating behind the nearby truck.

Have gained a moment of levity from the cloud's assault, Lapis turned to Peridot, who was scrolling away on her tablet. "Peri! What is that thing?!"

Peridot ran her finger over the screen. "Going by Bridget's records...it's..."

A baseball sized chunk of hail shattered through the trucks passenger window, making the four would-be storm chasers flinched. Peridot sighed and shook her head. "According to Bridget's records...this poor Gem is a Pietersite. It was, apparently, Test Subject No. 271. Her observational notes say...ugh..."

Steven frowned, sadness in his eyes. "What?"

Peridot shook her head. "Subject continues to refer to me as ' _friend_ '. Worthless sentinmental clod. It's average intellect made it particularly easy to lure it into the prison sphere. Corruption Beam Beta Model 2.3547.43.5 appears to be another failure. Exposure to beam...ripped subjects form asunder in a way undesirable of a Corrupted Foot Soldier. Gem shall be filed under Section: Expendable, Subsection: Shock and Awe..."

Lapis gritted her teeth. "I know you kids aren't fond of the word...but I _really hate_ Bridget!"

Steven frowned and turned his gaze to the ground. Connie shook her head and sighed. "How do we stop her? She's a cloud..."

Lapis groaned and stood up. "I'm willing to bet that her Gem is in the eye of that storm. You three try to think of a way to get in there, I'll distract her..."

And, with that, Lapis leapt over the hood of the truck and began to counter the Corrupted Pietersite's rain and hail with her own rain and hail. The blue Gem and the storm cloud struck at one another as Lapis quickly pulled the Corrupted Gem's attention away from the truck.

Peridot quickly turned to Connie and Steven, a calculated look on her face. "Okay...I have an idea! But it requires the two of you to trust me..."

Connie and Steven both trepidaciously nodded. Steven nervously posed a question. "Wh...what's the plan, Peridot?"

Peridot smiled and smacked her hand against the door of the truck. "Ready for a ride?"

Steven and Connie both grimaced at one another a Peridot squinted one eye shut and began to line up her shot.

The Pietersite storm cloud roared in anger as it combated the Lapis Lazuli gliding around below it. The poor Corrupted Gem was enraged and it's body was afflicted with horrifying pain. It barely knew where it was, I just wanted revenge for all of the agony that now made up it's existence. It's screeches were so loud, it's form so fully rippled with pain, that it didn't notice as the Peridot behind it launched a projectile at its back.

This projectile, with two screaming children sitting driver's side and shotgun, flew through the air, propelled by Ferrokinesis, and pentrated the storm cloud's body.

The truck flew through the thin ether of the storm, barreling it's way through the thin layers of ice as it got closer and closer to the eye. Connie squinted, trying to see through the soupy mist. "My gosh...you wouldn't think that a cloud would be so _STEVEN, BUBBLE!_ "

Steven quickly reacted, throwing up his Bubble and protecting himself and Connie as a football-sized chunk of hail smashed through the front windshield. And, as they got closer and closer to the center, they were horrified as the razor-sharp, crystalline bits of ice floating in the cloud shredded away at the rusted out form of the flying truck.

Eventually, the truck was so badly beaten that it simply crumbled away from Steven and Connie, leaving them flying towards the eye of the storm in Steven's Bubble.

After a few tense seconds of hurling through the air in a Bubble, too disoriented to actually know what direction they were going. For all they knew, they were slowly plummeting to the ground from the massive storm.

However, their fears were soon abated as they shot through another layer of clouds and made it to the eye of the storm. Connie turned to Steven, a serious look on her face, and nodded. Steven opened a hole in his Bubble and Connie, now rendered weightless by the negative pressure within the eye of the storm, leapt up, making sure she stayed within Steven's reach, and began to slash ice out of their way.

Soon enough, as the ice scattered, Steven and Connie floated up to a tiny ball of wind in the middle of the eye and found what the were looking for: an ovicular chunk of Pietersite.

Connie and Steven both sighed. They turned to one another, and then Connie got to work. The human girl raised Rose's Sword above her head and used it to pierce the small sphere of wind pressure, interrupting the flow of the wind and allowing Steven to reach in and Bubble the Corrupted Pietersite.

Steven sighed as he pulled the now Bubbled Gem close. "I'm sorry. I wish I could help you..."

And then, he made the Bubble disappear and the storm quickly vanished. Steven and Connie both let out a yelp as, very suddenly, gravity took effect once more and the two of them began to plummet from the air.

However, they were quickly caught by Lapis. "Nice work you two!"

Connie and Steven both smiled and nodded. It was another job well done for the _Kind Of B-Team_!

 _Back at the Barn..._

The Warp Pad atop the Barn glowed bright as The B-Team and Steven returned to their base of operations. Connie chuckled. "Man, I'm glad that the Gems are busy searching the _Conquest Diamond_ for things that they could use! I'm having a lot of fun going on missions with you guys!"

Steven grinned. "I'm having fun too...but..."

Lapis sighed and shook her head. "Steven, Jasper is Jasper. And we're happy to have you as a teammate. You're awesome!"

Steven smiled and nodded, but he could hear the worry seeded into Lapis's voice. He glanced over at Peridot and saw the concerned expression on her face. Steven could understand why they were worried, Jasper had been gone for nearly 8 days now. The fact that she hadn't come back to the Barn at all had everyone, from the Homeworld Gems to the Crystal Gems concerned for what had happened to her. Except for Amethyst, but that was probably just Amethyst being Amethyst.

Connie, reading the room on her own, quickly spoke up to break the tension. "So, Steven, I know that Pietersite went to the Burning Room back at the temple, but I bet you didn't know that Lapis and Peridot have their own place for storing Gems that they Bubble!"

Steven's eyes went wide, his irises becoming star-shaped. " _Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?!_ "

Lapis and Peridot both couldn't help but smile as Steven stared at them in awe. "Can I see it?! I'd love to see it!"

Lapis chuckled. "Sure Steven, we can show it to you! We keep it out behind the Barn..."

Peridot smiled wide. "Yeah! It's this way!"

Peridot leapt from the top of the Barn and walked around the hollowed out former body of the Shatter Machine. Lapis shook her head. "I don't imagine you want to jump?"

The blue Gem sprouted a pair of wings from her back. "Come on!"

Steven grinned and clasped onto Lapis's hand. As the blue Gem took her friend and glided to the ground, Connie grinned and called after them. "Have fun guys! I'm going to head in and get us some snacks!"

 _Inside the Barn..._

Connie hummed a jaunty tune as she pulled four glasses from the cabinet and sat them on the tray next to the pitcher of lemonade that she had pulled from the fridge. The human girl smiled and clapped her hands. " _Hmm_...now all I need is to find something good to snack on. I wonder if they have any _Chaaaaps_..?"

Connie turned to the pantry and pulled the door open. She looked each shelf up and down, hoping to find some delicious _Maximum Barbeque_ morsels. Finally, after a little searching, she found what she was looking for. High on the top shelf, the _Chaaaaps_ sat, practically shining like gold as Connie attempted to reach the snacks just out of her reach.

The human girl groaned as she failed to get the bags of snacks. "Darn it _Jasper_..."

Quickly looking around the room, Connie smiled as she saw a nearby chair. She quickly pulled the chair over to the pantry and climbed up it, reaching up for the now much closer _Chaaaaps_. However, with them still too far out of reach, Connie was forced to stand on her tip-toes. And, even then, she was barely able to graze her fingers over the top shelf. "Why do you have to make things so tall, _Jasper_? Not everyone is...seven..."

As Connie tried to reach the _Chaaaaps_ with her fingertips, the chair quickly slipped out from under her. The young girl cried out as she and the top shelf both tumbled to the ground. Connie groaned as she sat up, taking a quick glance at the mess she had made. " _Oh man..._ "

The human girl quickly scrambled to clean up her mess. She tossed the _Chaaaaps_ (Classic Salt, Maximum Barbeque, and X-TREEM CHEEZ) to the side and began to pile things back into the pantry.

But, as she hurriedly tried to clean up the Homeworld Gems food, a slight glimmer caught Connie's eye. She turned her attention to this glimmer and gasped. What she saw, next to a box with Jasper's name scrawled atop it in messy, nearly illegible, handwriting...was postively horrifying. Connie's face nearly went white as she stared at it.

And then, very quickly, she swept the contents back into the box, grabbed the bags of _Chaaaaps_ , and fled from the kitchen.

 _An hour later..._

Steven, Peridot, and Lapis all laughed and joked with one another as they watched a stand-up comedian tell jokes on the television. Lapis snorted. "Man...humans are weird..."

Peridot snickered and ate a handful of X-TREEM CHEEZ. "Yeah, but they're funny!"

Steven nodded. "Yeah. Garnet likes this guy too. But...Pearl isn't exactly fond of the language that he uses sometimes...:

Peridot nodded. "Yeah, I've only heard those words when Lapis and Jasper got into arguments. What about you, Connie?"

Connie was sitting on the corner seat of one of the couches, her mind clearly elsewhere. Peridot tried to ask again. "Connie?"

Connie flinched and turned towards Peridot. "Y-yes? I'm sorry..."

Peridot smiled. "It's fine! I was just wondering if you've ever heard this sort of language before?"

Connie turned her attention to the TV, listening as the comedian finished a joke. "Yeah. When my Mom is driving. As a matter of fact..."

The comedian tossed out a particularly nasty zinger. "...I've heard my Mom accusing her fellow drivers of having _that_ for brains..."

Lapis raised and eyebrow as she sipped her lemonade. The blue Gem examined Connie's face and then sighed. "Hey, Connie, is something up...?"

The room fell quiet as all eyes fell onto Connie. The human girl squirmed as all of her friends stared at her. "Connie-"

Steven was quickly interrupted by the sound of the front Barn door opening. Steven, Connie, and Peridot and turned and huge smiles spread across Lapis and Peridot's faces. Jasper was calm as she stepped through the threshold and into her home. "Sup?"

Lapis and Peridot both immediately leapt up, running up to their friend and barnmate and grabbing her into a giant hug. Peridot squealed at the top of her lungs. " _JASPER! I DIDN'T THINK YOU WERE COMING BACK!_ "

Jasper faintly smiled as Lapis and Peridot squeezed her tighter and tighter. "Why wouldn't I come back? This is _my house_ too, right?"

Steven smiled up at Jasper. Jasper rolled her eyes and grunted. " _Rose's Spawn..._ "

Jasper looked past Steven and saw Connie, still sitting on her corner of the couch. "Hey Connie!"

Connie remained silent, avoiding eye contact with the larger Gem. "Something wrong?"

Connie sighed and frowned. She didn't want to do this. She'd be accusing Jasper and probably making Steven sad, but she needed to know. Connie shuddered and reached down behind the couch, pulling up the box and presenting it to Jasper.

The brutish Quartz grumbled under her breath, clearly annoyed. " _Come_ on! Cut me some slack..."

Connie flinched back. Jasper shook her head. "I get it. You're a smart girl, but you need to realize that _Earthling_ is, like, the 57th dialect I've been forced to learn in my time. You're script is much different from Homeworld Script..."

Connie shook her head. "The _handwriting_ isn't the point!"

She glared up at Jasper. "It's what's _in_ the box that matters!"

Jasper stared down at Connie, totally confused. Connie frowned and turned to Steven, mouthing a quick apology and then opening the box, spilling it's contents onto the table. Connie took a deep breath and pointed down at the pile of _bright Yellow Gem Shards_ on the table. " _What is this?!_ "

Jasper glared down at the table in exasperation. " _Wow_...I forgot that I kept those..."

Connie frowned, tears building in her eyes. "Jasper...you told me that you had changed. You...you _shattered_ someone?!"

Jasper sighed and took a seat on the couch. "Well...I guess I should tell you..."

Connie wiped a tear from her cheek. " _Tell me what_?!"

Jasper sighed and squeezed her brow his her left hand. "Tell you about how I came to be on this side of the Rebellion. Tell you...about my confrontation with _Yellow Diamond_!"


	32. Chapter 32: The Arrival

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B Team**

 **Chapter 32: The Arrival**

 **A/N: Quick note this time. I've reduced the number of OC's I need to 10. I don't want to overcrowd a Chapter trying to introduce too many new characters. I've already filled 6 slots, so if you're reading this and you have an OC that you don't mind me using it, please feel free to PM me! I'd really appreciate it! (P.S. StevenSquid...I know you can't PM me, but you've been reading since the beginning, so if you'd like a spot, just leave your OC in your next review and I'll put it in! :) I need Name, Appearance, Personality, Gem Placement, and Weapon!)**

 _At the Barn..._

Jasper cleared her throat as she sat down onto the couch adjacent from Connie. Connie was joined on her couch by Steven, Jasper was joined by Lapis and Peridot. The orange Quartz was calm as she spoke. "To be fair...I don't remember a thing prior to being unbubbled and healed of my Corruption..."

Jasper turned to Lapis. "So I'm going to have to ask Lapis and Peridot to explain what happened up to that point."

Lapis finished off her glass of lemonade and sighed. "Yeah, okay. I think we can do that. Peri?"

Peridot sighed and shrugged. "I mean...we lived through it, didn't we?"

Lapis and Peridot nodded at one another and then Lapis turned to Connie. "It was about...3 months ago...I think Steven said that you were still in school at the time..."

Connie gasped and turned to Steven. "Steven...you didn't tell me?"

Steven turned his gaze to the floor. "I'm sorry...there was just never a good time to bring it up..."

Lapis sighed. "It was a cloudy day..."

 _At the Barn, 3 months ago..._

Lapis and Peridot both slumped down on the beaten up old couch that Steven's dad had brought them to sit on. It was a cloudy, and yet very humid day. And, although temperature wasn't normally a problem for Gems, being so sticky against the cheap pleather of the couch was starting to get on their nerves.

Both of the Homeworld Gems sighed as they laid there. They wished they had something... _anything_ to do! But, unfortunately, the Barn was quite barren of forms of entertainment. The TV was getting nothing but static, even with Peridot's antenna. And they had watch their _Camp Pining Hearts_ tapes to the point they didn't work anymore. All they had left was Season 5. _Trash_.

Lapis glared over at Peridot as she tinkered with her tablet. "Does that thing have any sort of games on it...?"

Peridot shook her head. "It does...but we can't play them..."

Lapis shot up, sweat flying off of her head. "Why?!"

Peridot sighed as her tablet cut to a blank, black screen. "My charger broke and I haven't been able to make it down to Steven's dwelling to ask for the spare one..."

Lapis sneered and whined. " _But the Warp Pad is right outside!_ "

Peridot whined back. " _Well I didn't feel like making the trip!_ "

Lapis sighed. "So...what do we do now?"

Peridot groaned as she ripped herself from the cheap couch. "We could always go outside and check the crops..."

With an uncaring shrug, Lapis pulled herself from the couch and followed Peridot out of the Barn. Together, the two Gems made the trip to the field behind the Barn and began to tend to their crops. Peridot heaved the tilling fork into the air and dragged it through the soil, helping spread the warm, wet muck across the various vegetables the were just popping their way out of the ground.

Lapis faintly smiled as she raked the hoe through the dirt. "Who knows...maybe this time we can grow our own sentient vegetables. _Without_ having to beg Steven to help us..."

Peridot chuckled as she spread mulch over one bed of vegetables. "Maybe. I mean...anything is possible on Earth, from what I've seen..."

Peridot wiped sweat from her brow. "And maybe, if any of these vegetables turn out to be intelligent, we can keep one as a roommate!"

Lapis groaned in bemusement. "I'm not so sure about that Peridot. I mean...two is a pairing...three's a crowd..."

Peridot frowned. "What do you mean?"

Lapis shook her head. "I'm just saying, we don't need any third wheels up here. We have a nice little place as is, we don't need someone coming and making a mess of the place..."

Peridot shook her head, sticking the tilling fork into the soil. "But, think about it! Think of all of the nice things we could have. We wouldn't have moments where one of us is lonely when the other leaves...and a new barnmate might bring better shows for us to watch! I hear they did another Series of _Camp Pining Hearts_ in _Quebec_! I'm not sure what a _Quebec_ is, but I want to see it!"

Lapis cocked her head. "What are you talking about?!"

Peridot splayed her arms out wide. "Our new barnmate might come with that Series, Lapis! Just think about it!"

Lapis shook her head. "Peridot...the only kind of person that would have that is a human. And I'm not sure that would work out..."

Peridot slumped over. "But why?!"

Lapis groaned and facepalmed. "Because most humans don't expect their barnmates to have Hydrokinesis or Ferrokinesis as powers. We'd freak them out and scare them off within 10 minutes of meeting them..."

Peridot interjected. "But-"

Lapis responded. "And they'd probably take their tapes _with them_!"

Peridot fell silent. Lapis sighed. "Look, Peridot, the only kind of person who'd be comfortable living with us is another Gem. And the Earth doesn't exactly have many spares of those just wondering around in search of a home..."

Peridot groaned. She knew that Lapis was right. But that didn't change the fact that the two of them had fallen into a boring, sticky hot rut. Peridot shook her head as she pulled up her tilling fork. "Maybe we should just release the Tongue Monster to be our-"

 **BWOOOM!**

 **CRACK**!

Peridot gasped and quickly turned back towards Lapis. The blue Gem stood there, obviously confused, staring into the distance.

Peridot called out to her. "Lapis."

Lapis remained silent, still trying to process what she had just seen. Peridot called out to her again. "Lapis! What was that?!"

Lapis shook her head, rendered speechless. "I...don't know..."

Peridot cocked her head. "What do you mean?"

Lapis turned to her little, green comrade. "I...it kind of looked like a huge, yellow comet descending from the sky...and I think that cracking noise was it colliding with the ground."

Peridot's eyes widened, her pupils shrinking to the size of pin-pricks. "What?"

Lapis nodded. "Yeah. It was weird. I wonder if the Crystal Gems are up to something..."

Lapis turned to her friend. "Yeah, it...Peridot...?"

Peridot recoiled back in terror. She was barely able to make a sound as she took several steps back. Peridot looked as if she wanted to turn the other way and bolt. Lapis, clearly concerned, reached out to her. "Peridot...?"

Peridot mumbled to herself. " _Please don't let it be her. Please don't let it be her._ _ **Please**_ _don't let it be her..._ "

Lapis cocked her head. "Be who? Peridot, who are you-"

 **BA-KROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM**

Lapis turned and stared in horror as, in the distance, down at the beach, a bright yellow flash of light erupted into the sky. That was a lot of power...in an all-too-familiar color. And, even worse, that energy was erupting from right where Steven's house would have been.

And then, without missing a beat, Lapis sharpened her gaze, grabbed Peridot by her wrist, and dragged her into the air, kicking and screaming, as they both flew their way down to Beach City.

 _Beach City, 3 Months Ago..._

As Peridot screeched and clawed and swiped at Lapis's hand, trying her best to get free so that she could run far, far away, Lapis landed in the parking lot in front of the Big Donut. Peridot cried out, expressing genuine fear, as Lapis dropped her onto the pavement. " _WHY DID YOU BRING ME HERE?! IF THAT'S HER, SHE'S GOING TO SHATTER ME THE MOMENT SHE SEES ME!_ "

Lapis snapped back at Peridot. "We have _no proof_ that it's her! It could just be some sort of weapon that Steven and the Crystal Gems would need _your_ help disabling, Peridot!"

Peridot snapped back at Lapis. "You've never seen a Diamond make an entrance from orbit before! _I have_! And what you described to me is exactly what it looks like when she lands on a planet! I've seen video record of it before! On Kylax-7! She landed on the planet and then the Kylax _stopped existing_!"

As Lapis and Peridot continued to argue, Sadie and Lars both came walking out of the Big Donut, alongside the Cool Kids. Jenny Pizza smiled at Lapis and Peridot. "Oh, hey! You two are those weird girls that Steven keeps having me and Keke deliver pizza to! Wassup?"

Lapis glared over at Jenny, and then she sighed. "We're...having a disagreement at the moment..."

Peridot growled up at Lapis. "You described to me what you saw! You told me and it matches up with what I know! I don't want to go over there Lapis! She'll kill me!"

Lapis sighed and shook her head. "I don't-"

Peridot snapped at her. "And don't say that she wouldn't take the time to deal with me! Don't say that she's too busy to be that petty! She's _that petty_! _All three of them are that petty_!"

Sadie, seeing Peridot was growing more and more scared, tried to intervene into the conversation. "Wait wait wait! Are you guys talking about that thing that fell out of the sky over by Steven's house?"

Lapis and Peridot both nodded. Sadie smiled and nodded. "Well, I can clarify for you! I was taking out the trash when it came down!"

Lapis smiled. "See Peridot! Uh..."

Sadie smiled. "Sadie."

Lapis nodded her head. " _Sadie_ saw the entire thing! She can tell you exactly what it looked like and then, when that matter is settled, we can go help Steven!"

Sadie nodded. "Yeah. I can describe it. It was like a shooting star! Except it fell to the ground. It was bright yellow and it made a huge explosion when it made it's impact! See, it even made ripples in the sand."

Lapis and Peridot both turned and stared at the ripples in the sand going across the entirety of the Beach. Sadie chuckled as the two Gems stared in horror. "Yeah, I bet whatever that was that hit the ground made some awesome beach glass! Next time Steven stops by, I think I'm going to ask him if I can go search his front yard for some..."

Lars sighed and rolled his eyes. "Sadie...beach glass is so-"

Buck Dewey smiled. "Beach glass is cool, man."

Sour Cream grinned and nodded. "I can totally rave to that..."

Jenny chuckled. "Yeah, we should all ask Steven if we can go beach glass hunting next time we see him!"

As Sadie and the Cool Kids all walked back into the Big Donut, the dumbfounded Lars quickly chased after them. "Hey, wait! I like beach glass too!"

And then, Lapis and Peridot were alone. Peridot shivered and swallowed a lump in her throat as she heard the dull rumbling of a battle in the distance. "Lapis..."

Lapis grunted and shook her head. "Look, Peridot...I'm not going to stop you from running. I'm..."

Peridot fearfully looked up at Lapis as Lapis sadly stared back at her. "I'm just going to remind you that, if it is her, she landed _right next_ to Steven's house..."

Peridot glanced away from Lapis, tears forming in her eyes. But, she clenched her fist to her chest. "Steven...we...we can't just leave Steven...or the Crystal Gems...to face that alone..."

And then, with one last wistful glance at one another, and a quick nod of solidarity, Lapis and Peridot both began to sprint towards Steven's house.

 _At Steven's House, 3 Months Ago..._

As Peridot and Lapis both rounded the bluff to Steven's house, they came to an impressive and terrifying sight. Amethyst was right in the face of whatever the Crystal Gems were fighting, spitting fire into it's face.

Meanwhile, up in the wreckage of Steven's house, Garnet and Pearl were both wheeling out huge, rose-shaped cannons. As the two of them lined the four cannon's up, Steven sat on the ground, staring in utter disbelief at Amethyst fought and the Crystal Gems prepared.

Eventually, after shifting into the Purple Puma, Amethyst managed to slam her still unseen opponent into the ground. And then, she was quickly ordered out of the way by Garnet. " _Amethyst! Move!_ "

Amethyst complied and jumped out of the way. Garnet, clearly distraught, turned her attention to the frightened child behind her. " _Steven_!"

Steven meekly stood up, his eyes pleading with Garnet. "Garnet... _please_..."

Garnet shook her head. "We can't reason with her! You have to help us do this!"

Steven sighed, his lower lip trembling. And then, he, Pearl, Garnet, and Amethyst are called out. " _If every pork chop were perfect, then we wouldn't have hot dogs!_ "

And then, in a huge pink flash, the four cannons all fired at the smoking crater that Amethyst had left her opponent in.

After the cannons finished firing, Peridot and Lapis quickly joined the Crystal Gems side. Lapis was the first to say anything. "What's going on?!"

Garnet turned and shot them a dire look. But, before she could answer, they all heard a heavy thud from the crater. And then another. And then another. And then, with a large gust of wind, the smoke cleared away from the crater and she was revealed.

With her yellow bob haircut, yellow eyes, yellow skin, yellow waistcoast, yellow gloves, upturned nose, and _massive_ yellow neck, there was only one Gem if could have been. Standing at the size of a small building, Yellow Diamond emerged from the crater, totally unscratched.

The Diamond looked totally indifferent as she adjusted her glove. "Okay then, my turn I suppose? I was hoping for so much m...oh, would you look at that! If it isn't the miniscule traitor that dared refer to me as...what was it again?"

Peridot quivered as she tried to gasp out an answer. "C-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c-c..."

Yellow Diamond snickered to herself. "Oh yes, it was _clod_. You Peridot's...are all so unoriginal..."

And then, with a faint smile on her face, Yellow Diamond raised her hand up and splayed it out towards the Crystal Gems. A ball of yellow energy appeared in her hand and, with a sinister smirk on her face, she shot her laser blast at the utterly defenseless Crystal Gems. " _Die._ "


	33. Chapter 33: The Power of Yellow Diamond

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 33: The Destructive Power of Yellow Diamond**

 **A/N: 6 of the 10 spots are still open if you have an OC you'd like to contribute to the upcoming _"New Colony"_ arc! I you have an original character that you'd like to contribute to this story for an arc I'm planning down the road, I still have 4 open spots! Please, PM me for more details!**

 _Steven's House, 3 Months Ago..._

The Crystal Gems all recoiled in terror as the giant blast of pure, yellow energy shot at them. Amethyst was shocked into silence. Peridot cowered in fear behind the equally exasperated Lapis. Pearl ran to protect Steven from the blast.

However, Garnet immediately sprang into action. Summoning her gauntlets and increasing them to maximum size, Garnet seized the blast and, firing her gaunlets off like missiles, shot it into the sky where it safely exploded.

Garnet growled and sprang forth towards Yellow Diamond. The Diamond Authority member sighed out a deep yawn as Garnet jumped up at her, left fist re-gauntleted and reared far back. She shot her fist forward, but was immediately stopped. To Garnet's horror, Yellow Diamond merely reached out and caught her fist, condescendingly raising her eyebrow and giving Garnet the side eye.

Garnet shuddered in horror. And then, her mouth spread into a fearful frown, she whipped her gaze to her allies and called out. "Pearl! Amethyst! We need to form Alexand-"

Yellow Diamond sighed and reached up and Garnet immediately cried out in pain and agony. Pearl and Amethyst both stood and looked out at their leader and gasped in horror at what they saw. Garnet was hanging there, thrashing in pain, hanging fromYellow Diamond's grip with the Diamond Authority matriarch's index and middle fingers jammed through her visor. And, going by how deep they were sunk into Garnet's visor, it was clear that Yellow Diamond's fingers had both stuck fast directly into Garnet's eyes.

Garnet thrashed and screamed in pain as Yellow Diamond held her in her flaxen, iron grip. Yellow Diamond, however, responded with morid curiosity. "Just what type of Gem are you...? I don't believe that I've ever..."

Yellow Diamond's curiosity quickly drained away to indifference. "Oh...you're just an abomination of a Fusion between a Ruby and a Sapphire..."

Yellow Diamond snorted and laughed under her breath. "Blue Diamond would explode if she caught sight of you...a _mix of classes_ like this...she might _actually stand up_ just to crush you under her heel!"

Garnet growled in pain as she finally wrenched herself from Yellow Diamond's grip, falling to the ground and taking a moment for her eyes to readjust and roaring in pain. Yellow Diamond was smug. "What? Did I hurt you...?"

Garnet glared up at Yellow Diamond, her visor having fixed itself. And then, her fists reared back, she leapt up at the tawny ruler. Yellow Diamond smirked and leapt back, dodging a punch and smirking. And then, as Garnet shot forth another punch, Yellow Diamond responded with a counter of her own. Garnet's fist was caught, mid-flight, by a bright yellow energy blade formed over Yellow Diamond's left hand.

The Diamond Ruler smirked as Garnet stared in shock. And then, using her free hand, Yellow Diamond back-handed the Crystal Gem leader into the nearby bluff, leaving a Garnet shaped hole in the rock.

Yellow Diamond hummed to herself as she stepped forward, adjusting her energy blade to be slightly longer. And then, she shot a jovial death glare at the remaining opposition in front of her. " _Next?_ "

Pearl sneered as she ran towards Yellow Diamond, summoning two spears and four of her Holo-Pearls. The warrior ran towards the towering Diamond and let loose a mighty battle cry. Yellow Diamond shook her head and easily dodged, sending Pearl flying with a mighty kick to the mid-section.

The Holo-Pearls all jumped Yellow Diamond, their AI set to "Master" difficulty, but Yellow Diamond was quick to react. The Diamond Monarch turned her gaze to the Holo-Pearls and shot beams of pure energy from her eyes, disintegrating each of the Holo-Pearls. And then, seizing their leftover swords from the air, she launched a handful of projectiles as Pearl.

Pearl gasped and dodged, one of the flying blades splitting a lock of hair from her head. But, this moment of distraction was all Yellow Diamond needed. As Pearl regained herself, Yellow Diamond loomed over the Gem Warrior and raised her foot into the air, stomping Pearl into the sand.

Yellow Diamond turned, as Pearl twitched under her foot, and shot an arrogant look towards Amethyst. The Diamond Ruler extended her free hand and motioned for the purple Quartz to come forth.

Amethyst roared and transformed into the Purple Puma, charging at Yellow Diamond with animalistic rage in her eyes. Yellow Diamond pomped and quickly shifted out of the way, kicking Amethyst's feet out from under her.

Amethyst quickly rolled into a ball and shifted her trajectory, launching herself at Yellow Diamond's chest. Yellow Diamond sighed and covered her free hand in a mass of yellow energy, slapping Amethyst to the ground like a volleyball and delivering a secondary punch as Amethyst bounced back up.

Amethyst went bouncing across the sand and Yellow Diamond smirk, turning away from the presumably defeated Gem. However, Yellow Diamond was expecting Amethyst to be so resilient. In a flash, the purple Gem leapt at Yellow Diamond, grabbing her around the head and pulling her to the ground with a Running Jumping Cutter.

Amethyst gasped for breath and screamed at Yellow Diamond's prone form. " _OUTTA NOWHERE!_ What do ya think of that?!"

Yellow Diamond sat up, placing her face in her hand and shooting Amethyst and utterly bored look. "Honestly, I'm not very impressed..."

And then, lightning quick, Yellow Diamond got to her feet and seized Amethyst by the torso, pulling her up to her face and powerbombing her into the sand. And then, wrapping her fist in a gigantic glove of yellow energy, Yellow Diamond pounded Amethyst into the dirt, repeatedly, until the purple Quartz poofed from the stress.

Steven stared, from his position on the ground, utterly horrified as Yellow Diamond walked, uncaringly, by Amethyst's Gem. The Diamond Ruler shook her head and sighed. "So, is Rose Quartz going to show her face?"

Lapis recoiled in shock. "What?!"

Yellow Diamond shrugged. "I came here for two reasons. White Diamond has demanded that I retrieve that Jasper and I wanted to check on the status of my Cluster. And, as I suspected, the Jasper is nowhere to be seen and my Cluster has yet to form. But, given the actions and response I received from that traitor cowering behind you, Lapis Lazuli, I am not surprised in the least..."

Lapis turned to she the terror-stricken look on Peridot's face. And then, she took a fighting stance. Yellow Diamond groaned and slowly closed her eyes. "What I was not suspecting...was that the Crystal Gems would still be alive. I had assumed that the Jasper would have at least taken care of these few stragglers...or that you would, given your advantage on this planet over them..."

Lapis glared at Yellow Diamond. "Why would I do any sort of work for my Chief Jailer? You're the entire reason I was forced to come back to this planet!"

Yellow Diamond snickered to herself. "Well, it's not as if I care what you did. My main question remains unchanged...where is Rose Quartz? I wish to shatter her for her trangressions against-"

" _ **RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHH!**_ "

Garnet leapt from her embedded spot in the bluff. Her fists drawn, she charged at Yellow Diamond with utter fury. The Crystal Gem Leader tackled into Yellow Diamond, sinking both of her fists into the Diamond Monarch's stomach and sending her sliding back with a blast of lightning to the stomach.

Yellow Diamond recoiled, but she seemed unscathed. Garnet didn't care. No one, especially her, would be threatening Rose's Gem, or the Steven attached to it!

Garnet leapt at Yellow Diamond and reared back her gauntlet, but Yellow Diamond didn't seemed to care. Forming a crude shield out of yellow energy, Yellow Diamond blocked the earthshattering force of Garnet's punch and then jutted her energy blade through both the shield and the Gem in front of it.

Garnet gasped as the energy blade ran her through, Yellow Diamond faintly smiled. And then, after twisting the blade 90 degrees in Garnet's gut, she quickly expanded the width of the blade.

The blade quickly grew in size and Garnet was brutally cleaved in twain, lengthways. The two halves of the Crystal Gem Leader fell from midair, forming into Ruby and Sapphire. But, to everyone's surprise, while Sapphire fell to the ground, Ruby was seized by the Diamond Monarch.

Yellow Diamond pulled Ruby, by her head, high into the air and positioned her directly above Sapphire. And then, with a blast of yellow energy building up in her hand, Yellow Diamond fired Ruby down at Sapphire, blasting them into one another and simultaneously poofing them.

Yellow Diamond shook her head, uncaring. "Now, as I was saying, where is Rose Quartz? I would like to _kill_ her."

Lapis flinched at the acidity in Yellow Diamond's voice. But, looking back at the terrified Peridot and the confused and horrified looking Steven, she screwed up the courage and cried out. And then, the blue Gem sprouted a set of wings and charged at the titanic Diamond.

Lapis wasted no time in charging Yellow Diamond, ramming into her, head first, and sending her stumbling back. Yellow Diamond looked annoyed. She gloves her right hand, once more, in yellow energy and smacked Lapis to the ground. "What was _that_ supposed to do?"

Lapis sneered as she shakily pushed herself up from the ground, wiping sand from her face. "Get you closer to the ocean."

Yellow Diamond's eyes widened as Lapis jutted her arms forward, towards the sea. Before the Diamond Monarch could react, it was already too late. A chain made of water wrapped itself around Yellow Diamond's left wrist. And then her right one. And then chains of water wrapped all around Yellow Diamond's chest, waist, legs, neck, face, shoulders, knees, and arms, completely immobilizing her.

Yellow Diamond strained against the weight of the chains as Lapis stood up. The blue Gem glared up at Yellow Diamond and sneered. "Now stay at the bottom of the ocean forever!"

Lapis clenched her fists, causing the water chains to soldify into bindings of ice all around Yellow Diamond's body. And then, slowly pulling her arms towards her chest, Lapis dragged Yellow Diamond into the ocean, smirking once the very last bit of the Diamond Monarch disappeared beneath the waves.

Lapis sighed in relief. "Oh, thank-"

Lapis gasped in horror as the water in front of her began to shine bright yellow. And then, in a giant explosion, a column of yellow energy shot from the ocean and into the sky, sending a cloud of hot mist spreading across the beach.

Lapis stared in horror as, from the parted seas, Yellow Diamond came marching forth, the water crashing back into place behind her as she stepped onto dry land. Yellow Diamond cocked her head as she menacingly stood above Lapis. "Was that all?"

Lapis, in desperation, quickly stood and summoned a water clone of Yellow Diamond from the ocean. The clone quickly produced its own blade on its hand and swung it at Yellow Diamond's throat. Yellow Diamond growled. "I'm starting to get annoyed..."

Yellow Diamond quickly turned and grabbed the water clone by it's head, ripping the head from it's shoulders and splattering it against the ground. Lapis stood there, shocked into silence, only to be summarily blasted through the gut by the genuinely annoyed Diamond.

Lapis fell to the ground and poofed as Yellow Diamond continued her death march towards the wreckage of Steven's house. Peridot and Steven both stared up at Yellow Diamond in terror. Yellow Diamond was blunt. "Rose Quartz. Now."

Steven, in a showing of fearful reflexes, unconsciously summoned his Bubble around himself and Peridot. Yellow Diamond chuckled in dark amusement. "Is this what you're reduced to, Rose Quartz? Hiding and attempting to shield these worthless parasistes rather than coming out and facing me? _Are you just afraid that you won't get lucky a second time?!_ "

Still no response from Rose Quartz.

Yellow Diamond sneered in annoyance. "Listen clearly, Rose Quartz!"

The Diamond Monarch summoned and even bigger energy blade over her left hand. "I'm done playing games with your pawns! Now, step out _or watch them die!_ "

Yellow Diamond looked utterly enraged as she swung her blade up into the air and slashed it down onto Steven's Bubble, taking little time to pierce and pop the defensive barrier.

Steven was terrified, but her immediately stood up and stepped in front of Peridot. But, as he endeavored to summon his Shield, Yellow Diamond took the much more pragmatic option. She reared her leg back and delivered a bone-shattering kick to Steven's stomach, sending him crashing in Peridot and sending them both sailing back to the Warp Pad and the Temple Door.

Neither of the two were poofed by the impact, but it was obvious that Steven was hurt. He pushed himself up, struggling for breath as Yellow Diamond continued to march forward.

Peridot stared up at her former master, terrified at what was to come with Yellow Diamond's temper. But, then, Peridot took a glance over at Steven. The little, green Gem let loose a small cry. Steven had stepped in front of her when danger was approaching, she couldn't just stand by and not do the same for him.

Peridot stood up and stepped in front of the injured Steven. She glared up at the unimpressed Yellow Diamond and, using the last bit of her small amount of strength, Peridot summoned any metal she could reach with her Ferrokinesis, surrounding herself with a swarm of forks and spoons from Steven's silverware drawer.

Yellow Diamond was incredulous as she glared down at Peridot. "This is an interesting development..."

Peridot remained silent, if she engaged in conversation, she knew that she would lose her nerve. Yellow Diamond stopped in her tracks and smiled. "I was positive that our adjustments made it to where Peridots of your Era would be born without the power of Ferrokinesis. And yet...you've developed it anyway..."

Yellow Diamond nodded. "Yes. I suppose congratulations are in order. But, Peridot Facet-2F5L Cut-5XG, would you like to know what you've really done today?"

Peridot, in spite of herself, let a single word slip. "What?"

Yellow Diamond snickered. "You've given me justification to execute you on the spot! White Diamond wished for me to bring you back for a thorough interrogation, but now I can kill you and there is nothing she can say about it! You... _you will pay for questioning My Authority._.."

Yellow Diamond sneered and stalked forward, a ball of yellow energy forming in her right hand. Peridot tired her best to stand firm, but she was clearly trembling as her former Diamond came closer and closer. Peridot's jaw began to tremble. But then, for a moment, it seemed as if she was saved.

As Yellow Diamond came closer to reaching Peridot and Steven, Pearl and Amethyst both shot up from the ground, having rushed their reformations, and launched a surprise attack on Yellow Diamond!

Yellow Diamond sighed at this latest annoyance, quickly summoning to shields made of yellow energy and blocking the attacks. Yellow Diamond parried the attacking Gems back and summarily blasted them both with two yellow energy laser blasts.

Pearl and Amethyst both re-poofed and their Gems clattered to the ground. And Yellow Diamond didn't even take the time to look at them. Now, it was just her, Peridot, and Steven.

Clearly out of options, and with tears in her eyes, Peridot quickly turned to Steven. "Steven! Run!"

Steven gasped in shock as Peridot stared at him, dead serious. Steven shook his head, tears building in _his_ eyes. "Peridot... _no_..."

Peridot nodded and grasped Steven by his shoulders. " _Yes!_ You need to get out of here, now! I'll distract her!"

Steven shook his head. "I...I can't just-"

Peridot growled at Steven. " _SHE'LL KILL YOU! YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE RIGHT NOW! FLEE INTO THE CRYSTAL GEM'S TEMPLE AND STAY IN THERE! GO!_ "

Steven reached his hand up. "Peri-"

Peridot, looking away from her friend, reached out and shoved Steven away, sending him stumbling back into the Temple Door. Steven slowly got up, the limp in his leg making him struggle, and watched as Peridot was seized by Yellow Diamond. Yellow Diamond remained as cold and still as an iceberg. Peridot, despite her fear, continued to vainly lob insults at the Diamond. "You think you scare me you _clod_?! You don't scare m-"

Yellow Diamond sighed and wrapped both of her hands around Peridot, squeezing her tightly between her two palms and charging up to yellow energy bolts. Peridot's screams and cries were unintelligable as energy leaked out from in between Yellow Diamond's hands. And then, with a look of utter indifference on her face, Yellow Diamond fired both energy bolts, creating a huge explosion in between her hands.

Yellow Diamond let loose her grip and dropped all that remained of Peridot, her singed, cracked Gem, onto the ground. Finally, it was just one of the three leaders of the Gem Homeworld...and some little human parasite that she didn't know.

Steven stared up in horror at the indifferent Diamond. Yellow Diamond stared back down at him. Steven couldn't muster a word as he looked past her at the carnage she had left in her wake. Yellow Diamond sneered and glared at Steven. "Where is Rose Quartz human? Tell me and your end will be swift..."

Seeing the writing on the wall, Steven made no bones about it. He stood, trembled in fear, and then, taking Peridot's advice and seeing that there would be no talking to Yellow Diamond, Steven turned heel and ran away from the titanic, menacing monster before him.

Steven cried out and pounded on the Temple Door, breathing a sigh of relief as it split open and let him in. As he stepped through the threshold, Steven took one last sad look back at all of his poofed friends, and then he fled into the Temple, the door sealing shut behind him.

As he fled deeper into the Temple, Steven only had one thought in his head: there was only one Gem he could think of that would be capable of standing up to Yellow Diamond. He just had to go and Unbubble her...

Yellow Diamond shook her head as she walked up to the Temple Door. Shrinking down to a more appropriate size to fit through it, Yellow Diamond placed her hand on the Door and overloaded it with her power. And then, once the door overloaded and shorted out, Yellow Diamond put her fist through it, smashing it open.

The Diamond Monarch stepped into the Temple and took a long look around. "So, this is where the magic happens... _quaint_..."


	34. Chapter 34: De-Corruption

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 34: De-Corruption**

 **A/N: Healing process is going slow, but I figured that I could write this while I had a bit. I'm finally out of the danger zone, so I'll slowly get back on the horse. Thank you all for all of your well-wishes and stuff, they helped me get it back together and, along with support from my friends and family, allowed me to start the healing process. So, everyone who wished me well should consider themselves a co-author for this Chapter. And, with that, I do hope you enjoy it! :)**

 _The Crystal Gem's Temple, 3 months ago..._

Yellow Diamond calmly strolled through the Temple that the wretched rebels, the Crystal Gems, had been using as a home and base of operations ever since the war had ended. This was where Rose Quartz had been living her life, content in the blasphemy she had commited, ever since the Diamonds had left.

It was a dusty little hovel, made of archiac technology and formed out of inferior human materials. It was positively disgusting. But, it wasn't as if she was staying for long. She just had to find that little bug, tear the information about Rose Quartz's whereabouts out of its tiny head, and then slaughter it. But, that did raise the question, where was the pest?

" _Where are you human?!_ "

Yellow Diamond sneered and placed her hand on a door, overloading it with her power and forcing it open. Within, she found a room with with pools of shimmering water and surrounded by many waterfalls.

The Diamond was smug as she looked around the living space, taking note of the collections of swords hovering just above the water's surface. "What a simplistic hovel..."

As she stepped forward, the Diamond turned to see the expanse of the room behind her and scowled at what she saw. Hanging above the entrance, like some sort of glowing, pink propaganda, a painted image of Rose Quartz loomed over the room. Her face cast in a smug, eyes-closed smile, her hair cascading down in a rebellious, decidedly un-Quartzine hairdo, Rose Quartz loomed over Yellow Diamond.

The Diamond gritted her teeth as she stared at Rose Quartz's serene face. "You lived your life so happily after shattering _our Authority_...?"

Yellow Diamond sneered and jabbed her index finger towards the painting, shooting a beam of energy and slow burning a gash across the painting's throat. "I'll _burn_ this planet you've spent so long caring for!"

Yellow Diamond splayed open her fist and firing a column of energy at the painting, blast a gigantic hole throught the Gem on it's stomach and smirking as the entire thing burst into flames. As Rose Quartz's features warped and furled and crumbled away into ash, Yellow Diamond turned and went back to her search for Steven.

 _The Burning Room, 3 months ago..._

Steven collapsed in exhaustion as he arrived at the room he was looking for, the Burning Room. The tired, scared Hybrid Gem glanced up at the ceiling. He needed to hurry, every second he wasted was another second Yellow Diamond could be shattering his friends and destroying Earth.

Steven hurriedly scanned the ceiling for the Bubble he needed, the Bubble that held the last hope that he had to fight Yellow Diamond. Finally, after a minute, Steven smiled as he jumped up to the Pink Bubble that he had sought. Grabbing it and floating back to the ground, Steven took a deep breath and popped the Bubble, releasing the rainbow-colored Gem within.

In a flash, and with a flourish of rainbow dreadlocks, Steven's last remaining hope reformed and regained her bearings. Steven remained silent, not knowing what to say. As the Gem turned toward him, all Steven could think to do was wave "hi" at her. It took a moment, but, eventually, the Gem smiled at him and waved back. "H-hey Steven..."

Steven swallowed a lump in his throat and nodded at her. "Hey...Bismuth."

For a moment, a pregnant silence filled the Burning Room. But then, as if someone had flipped a switch in her head, Bismuth suddenly began to freak out. "Wait a minute! What about the Shatter Machine?! What happened with that, is everyone okay?! You guys managed to stop it, right?!"

Steven cracked a small, but sad, smile. "Yes. We...we managed to stop it..."

Bismuth nodded. "Good. That's good..."

The larger Gem frowned. "So...how long has it been? Another 5300 years...?"

Steven shook his head. "No. Just a few months. The Gems decided that...it would probably be better to put off trying to talk to you for a while. They said that they didn't know how to help you with all of your issues...so it would probably be better for everyone just to leave you Bubbled for a while..."

Bismuth sighed. "Yeah. They make a bad habit of that, don't they? I can see why that Lapis would be so angry. The Crystal Gems don't look too good from this end of the deal..."

Bismuth smiled at the sadly frowning Steven. "But, hey...I do owe you some thanks!"

Steven flinched. "You do?!"

Bismuth nodded. "You were honest with them Steven. That punch to the face from Garnet was...kind of refreshing, to be honest. It...you cared enough to tell them what happened to me rather than just sweep it under the rug."

Steven silently nodded. Bismuth chuckled. "So, that does beg the question: Did they tell you to let me out, or did you do it without their permission?"

Steven remained silent.

Bismuth frowned, finally noticing the anguish on Steven's face. "What's up? You seem out of sorts, little guy..."

Steven cringed in pain. And then he looked up at Bismuth, tears in his eyes. "The Gems...they've all been defeated! They were beaten up and smashed into the ground! I need your help!"

Bismuth adopted a dire look on her face. She stood and clenched her fists, clearly panicking. "What's going on?! Did another Shatter Machine show up?! Some other Homeworld War Machine?! What is it?!"

Steven looked utterly shell-shocked. "It's much, _much_ worse than that!"

Bismuth groaned. "What could it possibly-"

A yellow column of energy blasted through the wall to the Burning Room. Bismuth and Steven both slowly turned, as the blast exploded through the far wall of the room, and stared in horror as their assailant stepped into the room.

Steven was horrified. Bismuth could only stare in fear and rage as Yellow Diamond marched her way into the Burning Room.

Yellow Diamond snickered as she stared at the pair of frozen Crystal Gems in front of her. She brought her index finger her mouth and stifled back a full-on derisive belly laugh. "Your _backup_..."

Yellow Diamond pointed directly at Bismuth. "...is a _day laborer_?!"

Bismuth was shaking with rage as Yellow Diamond laughed right in her face. The Diamond Monarch nearly doubled over in mirth. "My my...how _dull_."

Bismuth roared and charged Yellow Diamond, both of her fists becoming giant hammers. The blacksmith leapt into the air and glared pure hatred down at the Diamond. "Lousy Homeworld Upper Crust!"

And, with all of her might, Bismuth reared back and rained down pure, fearsome justice onto the Diamond's head.

Or at least she tried.

With a look of utter indifference, Yellow Diamond sighed and quickly sank her fist, coated in a thick cloud of yellow energy, right into Bismuth's chest. The blacksmith started to go flying back, but was seized from the air by her ankle and slammed onto Yellow Diamond's knee.

What happened next, whilst Steven sat there, powerless to do anything to stop it, was and utter evisceration and mauling of Bismuth. Yellow Diamond smiled a gigantic slasher smile as she pounded Bismuth all across the Burning Room, leaving cracks in the walls and the floor everytime she slammed Bismuth into the structures.

Steven, who had seen so much carnage today, could only watch and wonder just how his Mom had done it? If the Diamond's were all this powerful...how did Rose Quartz manage to shatter one of them? Yellow Diamond was, by all appearances, totally unstoppable. An emotionless, uncaring juggernaut who couldn't be halted by any force.

And, worst of all, she was playing with a ragdoll at this point. Steven watched on as Yellow Diamond continued to hit and crush and pound Bismuth's limp form. And he felt awful about it. Steven realized as he watched this...hurricane of sadistic fury, that he hadn't called forth a game changer for this attack by Yellow Diamond. He had just summoned Yellow Diamond a new punching bag.

Yellow Diamond, having worked out a lot of pent up aggression, dropped Bismuth's wobbly form to the ground. The blacksmith Gem hit the ground with a solid thud and Yellow Diamond smiled. "Now then...I believe you were saying something about me being a...Homeworld Upper Crust? I do believe that is what you commoners refer to us as, which makes it an insult, no?"

Bismuth began to stir and push herself back up. Yellow Diamond shook her head. "If you apologize for that slight...I'll make your end swift."

Bismuth, her eyes glazed over, glared up at Yellow Diamond and raised her fists. "Is...that all...all you got you...you...you... _two-carat knock off_?!"

Yellow Diamond recoiled in anger, a vein popping out of her forehead. And then, lightning quick and without a word, she reached down and grabbed a handful of Bismuth's hair, slinging her into the wall and then into the air. And then, without a moments hesitation, she charged a energy beam in her hand and fired it directly at Bismuth's chest.

However, at the last possible moment, Bismuth was saved from certain death by the most unlikely of circumstances. Due to the extreme levels of punishment that Yellow Diamond had dealt out to, Bismuth's life was saved when her body, due to the pressure and pain, poofed, causing the yellow energy bolt and just miss her Gem, flying past it and colliding with another Bubble directly behind it.

Yellow Diamond watched as the Gem from within the Bubble clattered to the floor and, after a moment, reformed. And, to her surprise, it was a regular Gem that popped out. But, rather, a monster: The Giant Pufferfish Monster.

The Pufferfish turned and stared in shock at Yellow Diamond. Yellow Diamond stared down at it with utter scorn. And then, she let loose a snarky chortle. "Oh...oh my. So, that's why Rose Quartz chose to stay on this planet for so long. That...casts her in a rather different light from what I had assumed..."

Steven glanced up at Yellow Diamond as he healed up Bismuth's Gem. As the blacksmith Gem reformed, Steven cried out a question. "What is that supposed to mean? How does this change your perception of my Mom?"

Yellow Diamond shot Steven a side eye. "What is a Mom? Nevermind. I suppose I should answer your question about my changing perception..."

Yellow Diamond smirked as she turned away from the Pufferfish Monster. "Originally, I thought that Rose Quartz stayed on this planet out of foolish compassion. But the sight of this sorry thing changes my opinion. I see now that Rose Quartz...is a much more sadistic Gem than I thought her to be."

Steven's eyes widened. "What?!"

Yellow Diamond smirked. "I mean...why else would she keep that ugly thing here? She stayed on this planet, perfectly fine after our Corruption attack, just so she could keep the freaks, traitors, and stragglers as her pets!"

Yellow Diamond motioned back at the Pufferfish Monster. "Why else would she keep this hideous thing?! I would have shattered this wretch by now if it were up to me!"

And, with that, the Pufferfish Monster was angry. It cried out and lunged at Yellow Diamond, utter fury streaked across its face. Yellow Diamond, in response, coated her entire body in yellow energy, grabbed the Pufferfish out of the air, and pulled it into a tight bear hug.

The sadistic Diamond squeezed the Corrupted Gem close and sneered in its pained face. "So...did I make you angry. Did I? You poor, pathetic, small Watermelon Tourmaline?! Perhaps, in your feral state, you've forgotten..."

Yellow Diamond began to squeeze harder. And harder. And harder. And harder. And harder. And then, she loosened her grip ever so slightly. "Perhaps you've forgotten who holds the Authority for your kind, you Corrupted wretch...?"

And then, with a mighty squeeze, Yellow Diamond pulled the Watermelon Tourmaline Pufferfish tight and caused its body to deform. The Corrupted Gem cried out in pain and Yellow Diamond responded with a yellow energy blast. The Pufferfish slammed against the wall and glared up at Yellow Diamond, a mixture of anger and sadness in its glassy eyes. And then, as the Pufferfish began to poof, with the last of its strength, it shot a few spikes at Yellow Diamond.

The Diamond sighed and dodged the errant projectiles. As she did, and the Pufferfish poofed, several of the spikes merely impaled into the wall. However, one did not. It ricocheted off the wall, bouncing around from point to point until it eventually hit a purple Bubble floating around.

The Bubble burst and the Gem within fell out. Yellow Diamond sighed in disgust as it began to reform. "Another one? How many Corrupted fools do you have here?"

The Diamond walked up to the writhing mass as it slowly reformed. The Diamond rolled her eyes and summoned a yellow energy blade, ready to put the thing down. However, when the reformation was done, Yellow Diamond was surprised by what it was that she saw.

The mindless, Quartz brute roared and began to rush around the room. The former Gem didn't even appear to be sentient anymore. But, something about it had caught Yellow Diamond off-guard. The Diamond approached the Corrupted Gem and seized it by its hair, pulling it from the ground and looking it over.

The cut of this Corrupted Gem's Gem. Its placement. Its color. Yellow Diamond smirked as she looked down upon the Corrupted Gem. She had found the Jasper she had been sent to look for!

Yellow Diamond looked down at Jasper as she writhed and snarled in the Diamond's grasp. The Gem Monarch sneered. "How in the world does such a perfect soldier fall into such a crude state of deformity? There should not have been a way to become Corrupted on this planet...unless you were dumb enough to try and fuse with a Corruption...?"

Yellow Diamond sighed and shook her head. "Whatever. It matters not. I've found you, and that's all I needed to do on this miserable planet. Now, to do something about this pesky Corruption..."

Steven glanced down at the floor in shame. "I...I tried to heal her. I tried my best, with her and with other Gems too, but I can't seem to heal them all the way. There's a point were they just stop healing..."

Yellow Diamond scowled. "Oh, please! I don't know what kind of 'skill' you believe yourself to have, bug, but of course you're unable to fix the Corruption of these Gems! This Corruption was _caused_ by the abilities of we three Diamonds. It can only be _fixed_ through the intervention of we three Diamonds..."

Steven's eyes widened. Yellow Diamond, ignoring the human, sat Jasper onto the ground and clutched her hand around the Corrupted Gem's head. And then, with a flash of yellow light, paralyzed Jasper in place.

The Corrupted Gem struggled and grunted, trying to find some way to get loose of the Diamond's hold, but to no avail. Yellow Diamond shook her head and reached up to her eye. Sticking her finger into her eye socket and pulling out a tear, she flicked it onto Jasper and smirked as it began to work its magic.

It was slow at first, but in a sudden burst of rage and agony, Jasper broke free of the hold and began to thrash about as the Corruption seared off of her body. The patches of green receded into Jasper's skin and her warped features began to return to their normal shape.

Steven watched in amazement as, with one last violent shudder, Jasper's body expanded out, and then warped back into its normal shape. Steam erupted from the Quartz's body at she knelt there, her eyes glazed over. Jasper's Corruption was gone, but she still seemed a bit unaware.

Yellow Diamond smiled as she walked up to Jasper's catatonic form. And then, suddenly, she brought Jasper back into reality with a sharp slap across her face. Jasper recoiled in shock and grabbed her cheek in pain.

Yellow Diamond glared down at her best soldier, examining Jasper's entire body. Everything appeared to be normal, minus having apparently lost her Yellow Diamond sigil at some point, a tear in her body suit remaining where the symbol once rested.

Jasper glanced up at Yellow Diamond. "Y-yellow Diamond?!"

Yellow Diamond sneered at Jasper. "I shall reprimand you in private. I just have one last problem to handle first..."

Yellow Diamond turned and shot a cold glare at Steven and the unconscious Bismuth. "Perhaps, when Rose Quartz sees your shattered and burnt remains, she'll seek me out. And then, I can put every last thing having to do with Earth behind Homeworld History for good. I'll finally be able to erase this blemish from our history logs and star maps!"

Jasper flinched, the tiniest bit of anger crossing her face at the suggestion. Yellow Diamond didn't seem to notice. She raised her hand and Steven and Jasper, charging a ball of yellow energy in her hand and preparing to obliterate the last two Crystal Gems standing in her way. But, as she prepared to fire, Yellow Diamond was shocked to see the energy in her grip dissipate.

Jasper glanced up at the Diamond and, with slight embarassment in her eyes, she grumbled to herself. "Worthless. Already reached _the limit_..."

Jasper's gaze hardened. "Is something wrong...?"

Yellow Diamond snarled at Jasper. "I'm sorry...What?!"

Jasper sighed. "Is something wrong...My Diamond?"

Yellow Diamond sneered and seized Jasper by her head, lifting her up and calling for a teleport back to her ship. And then, just like that, Yellow Diamond and Jasper were both gone.

And, finally, Steven was all alone. Bismuth unconscious at his feet, the Temple around him smashed, the Gems, hopefully, still in one piece outside. And, worst of all, his head empty of ideas. He had no clue what they were going to do when Yellow Diamond came back.

 **Special Credits :)**

 **Being sick sucks. But with people wishing me well whilst I was down, I didn't feel quite as bad. So, I'd like to thank a few people for letting me know that things would be okay while I was down:**

The Rurouni Bard84

kame otaku

Crazytraveler4

toonfreak

KimDWil71

DracoWolf316

OMAC001

FanficLovingPerson

MyShatteredDreamscape

slayershero3

milano641

RedHood001

Demo-nisshu jinketsu Duke

KendrixTermina

Guest

Queen Lapis

reaper 92

JordanPhoenix (One of my biggest writing inspirations!)

Kaya and Petra (Love you both!)

And, of course, my Sasha! :)

 **Seriously, I've had enough hospital for a lifetime! So thanks for the support everyone! :)**


	35. Chapter 35: Erased from History

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 35: Erased from History**

 **A/N: Welp, that was a thing. But, I'm feeling better. I'm home. And I'm happy to be getting back to this. I do hope that I haven't lost everyone's attention, I still have so much more planned for this story and I'd love it if it kept people entertained. But, I digress, it's good to be back and it's good to be writing again. And, also, I just wanted to let everyone know that I have the 10 OC's that I'm going to use. That arc is still a handful of chapters away, but I have the characters I plan to use. So, thank you for your characters and putting your trust in me to use them properly. Now, onto Chapter 35! :)**

 **P.S. - Until I'm better, I'm going to try to push a Chapter a week. So, I hope I'm able to keep to that schedule! :)**

 _At the Barn..._

Connie sat there, on her little end of the couch, sitting in silence and processing what she was just told. The human girl swallowed a dry lump in her throat and shivered. "So...the Diamonds are all really _that powerful_ , huh...?"

Lapis and Peridot both nodded. As did Steven. Lapis cleared her throat. "Yellow Diamond could have killed us all and not broken a sweat if she wasn't so overconfident in herself..."

Peridot shook her head. "And, sorry if this scares you, but she's only the second strongest Diamond. White Diamond is far stronger than Yellow is. If she were ever to come here..."

Steven took a deep breath. "If she hadn't run out of power when she did, Bismuth and I would have been annihilated. I still can't wrap my head around how my Mom ever managed to _shatter_ one of them if they're all that tough..."

Connie nodded, reaching over to Rose's Sword and squeezing the hilt tight. And then, the human turned to Jasper. "So, what happened after that? What did Yellow Diamond do when she took you up to her ship?"

Jasper was terse. "More than I care to think about."

Connie glared at the Quartz. "Jasper. Please..."

Jasper sighed. "It's...I hate thinking about it. It's not a comfortable thought..."

Jasper looked around at Steven, Lapis, Peridot, and Connie. Peridot scooted over to Jasper and grasped her hand. "Did...did she hurt you? She hurt us too. It's okay if you-"

Jasper interrupted her. "No. She didn't physically hurt me. Some of the things that she said, the things that she promised she would do...they were unnerving things to here from someone with as much power as she wields..."

Connie raised and eyebrow. Steven and Lapis both looked very exasperated. "What happened?"

Jasper sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. And then, she began to speak.

 _Yellow Diamond's Advance Ship, 3 months ago..._

Jasper knelt on the floor, at Yellow Diamond's feet, as one of the rulers of the Gem Homeworld scolded her like some kind of rebellious child. The Quartz was forced to prostrate herself at Yellow Diamond's feet and continuously take every barb and lashing the annoyed and infuriated Diamond could think to throw at her.

Yellow Diamond scowled as she paced back and forth in front of the Jasper before her. The Diamond Monarch was annoyed for a variety of reasons, most of all her power failing her when she was on the cusp of victory, and this Jasper, the entire reason she was forced back to this worthless planet, was very well owed and earful for the inconvenience.

Yellow Diamond squeezed her brow. "So, just to go over the so-called Ultimate _Quartz's_ list of failures, you've..."

Yellow Diamond stuck up one finger. "...carelessly lost a very costly, very advanced Emerald Hand ship..."

Yellow Diamond stuck up a second finger. "...pathetically lost your various encounters with the remaining handful of Crystal Gems at every concievable turn..."

Yellow Diamond stuck up a third finger. "...and you were idiotic enough to not only associate with the Corrupted remnants of Rose Quartz's army, but you were daft enough to try and perform a Fusion with one!"

Yellow Diamond reached down, grabbing Jasper by her chin. "Have I left anything out?!"

Jasper angrily glared away from Yellow Diamond. "No... _My Diamond_..."

Yellow Diamond snarled. "Well, answer me this, do you have any explanation for why one of my best Generals would chose this planet to suddenly start _humiliating_ me in front of the other Diamonds?! You've lead and succeeded in the conquest eight planets for me, why is _Earth of all places_ suddenly such a problem?! _WELL?!_ "

Jasper glared at the floor in shame. "No, My Diamond, I don't have an explanation. I've...failed you."

Yellow Diamond shook her head and turned away from Jasper, glaring out the window of her ship and down at the Earth. "Yes. You have."

Jasper growled under her breath. Even as it left her mouth, the word failure was thoroughly saturating her tongue with its foul taste. She knelt there, on the floor of Yellow Diamond's ship and tried her best to come up with something to say to the Diamond. Something other than the only thing she could think to say. She didn't want to say it, not to Yellow Diamond. But...she didn't see much in the way of options.

The words burned in Jasper's throat as she glared up at the Diamond that had snatched her up after the Rebellion. Jasper wondered to herself if Yellow Diamond could feel the sheer amount of hatred in Jasper's stare.

But, the Quartz finally acquiesed. She bowed down, until her forehead was touching the floor, and called out to Yellow Diamond. "Please...forgive me, My Diamond!"

Yellow Diamond turned around and snidely smiled as Jasper groveled before her. Jasper clenched her teeth as she spoke. "Please. I...I didn't mean to fail you. It won't...happen...again! So, please...may I have a second chance to prove to you my worth...?!"

Yellow Diamond sighed and rolled her eyes. "No. You may not have a second chance. No matter what you do, you'll always be a miserable failure! At least in my eyes..."

Jasper shifted her gaze up at Yellow Diamond as she turned back around and continued to glare at Earth. The Diamond shook her head. "You lost to an army of how many Gems? Four? Five counting that Bismuth, if you can even count a builder as a fighter? I'd say six, but Rose Quartz appears to be too terrified of the Homeworld to even show her face anymore..."

Yellow Diamond placed her hand on the window. "So, no, you don't have my forgiveness. You're utterly pathetic."

Jasper cringed. Yellow Diamond shook her head. "But, _my_ opinion won't matter anymore after this little excursion is done. Once we get back to the _War Diamond_ , you won't be my problem anymore..."

Jasper flinched. "What?"

Yellow Diamond frowned. "Do you think, with my current opinion of you, I would have gone through the trouble of curing your Corruption unless I were ordered to?"

Yellow Diamond sighed. "No. I wouldn't have. But, it wasn't my choice to fix you. You see...you've been promoted. White Diamond has informed me, after seeing your record, that she wants you as part of her personal army!"

Jasper gasped. Yellow Diamond shook her head. "Even after I told White Diamond of your, at the time, assumed failure, she didn't seem to mind. She wanted you for you power and reputation and was willing to overlook anything having to do with that miserable planet floating before us..."

Jasper's eyes widened. "She did?! That seems..."

Yellow Diamond interjected. "Uncharacteristic? Yes, you're right. It's very uncharacteristic. But she told me that she was willing to accept you because, in her own words, ' _I failed there_ ' and ' _if I was unable to succeed, why should I expect success from lesser Gems_ '...?"

Jasper sat there, on the floor, in disbelief. "Well...I...I...I'm honored..."

Yellow Diamond sneered at Jasper. "You should be. Personally, I'll be glad to ship you off to the _Conquest Diamond II_ after this _utter embarassment_..."

As Yellow Diamond went back to her thoughts, angrily glaring down at Earth, Jasper took a moment to look around. And then, after a moment, something dawned on her. She turned her gaze back to Yellow Diamond and asked another question. "One moment, My Diamond, why are we not _on_ the _War Diamond_? Would it not have made more sense to bring your entire army with you to destroy Earth?"

Almost immediately, the tone shifted between the two. Jasper had asked a rather pointed question, and Yellow Diamond quickly tried to think of ways to answer it. With a golden blush crossing her cheeks, Yellow Diamond turned to Jasper and sputtered out another question in response. "Wh-whatever are you talking about?! I...I didn't bring them because..."

Jasper raised an eyebrow. "My Diamond?"

Yellow Diamond appeared to be struggling for an appropriate answer. "I...didn't just want to destroy Earth from orbit. White Diamond ordered me to make sure I brought you back! And, more importantly, the War Diamond is currently engaged in a battle above a planet we're trying to claim for ourselves, and..."

Jasper was utterly lost. What had she said that had caused Yellow Diamond to lose so much of her composure. Yellow Diamond was still fumbling with her words. "...and most importantly, I wanted to come here and take care of this problem personally! I didn't want any other troops to accidently be the death of Rose Quartz when I should be!"

Jasper was confused. She glared away from Yellow Diamond and down the empty hallway of the small ship. "Pardon me, My Diamond, I was just under the assumption you'd at least have your ever-present Pearl at your side."

Yellow Diamond appeared to be done with the conversation. Rather than respond to Jasper's statement, she bluntly shoved her way past Jasper and down the hallway behind her. Jasper stood and followed, thinking as she walked.

This...wasn't normal. This wasn't the Yellow Diamond that Jasper knew. Yellow Diamond wasn't one to go and "handle" things by herself. She'd enter a battlefield, but she'd usually be flanked by an army. She'd go off on her own for side trips, but never without her Pearl. She could be caught off guard...but she had never been this visibly flustered with being asked a question. She had been angry...but not flustered like she had been a moment ago.

Something...was definitely off.

With disdian in her eyes, Yellow Diamond opened the door to her inner chamber and ushered Jasper in. Jasper quietly took her place in a corner of the room as Yellow Diamond took her seat. The Diamond glared as the room quickly lit up and she barked out and order. "Visualization: Star Chart of the Earth Sector."

Jasper watched as the hologram projector at Yellow Diamond's feet lit up and a three-dimensional map of the Earth flickered into view. Yellow Diamond turned to Jasper and motioned for her to come closer. Jasper complied and stepped up. Yellow Diamond sneered at the hologram of Earth and began to speak. "After I rest and recharge, we will finally put this planet behind the Homeworld. This, Jasper, is the end of the Earth!"

Jasper flinched at the sudden outburst. "The end...?"

Yellow Diamond nodded and smiled. "Yes. The end. This pathetic little speck of a planet dies today!"

The Diamond reached under her holo-table and produced, for Jasper to see, a small, pink blob. The Diamond tossed is to Jasper, for her to examine, and began to monologue. "After I rest, we'll go back down to Earth. The Cluster no longer matters, the Kindergarten's no longer matter, the history of this planet no longer matters! We're going to go back to the surface of that miserable ball of muck and shatter all that is left of Rose Quartz's army! And then we'll find and shatter Rose Quartz! And then..."

Jasper stared down at her hand, horrified at the device she was holding. "We're going to use a Geo-Bomb?"

Yellow Diamond smirked and nodded. "Yes. We'll come back to the ship, get farther away from the Earth, and then we'll fire that Class 4 Geo-Bomb at the Earth and watch everything about the planet Rose Quartz worked so hard to defend disappear! Earth will be no more! And nothing about this planet will be remembered! Our Authority will go down in the records as unquestioned and absolute!"

Jasper was unnerved. Her hand trembled as she gripped the Geo-Bomb. "Nothing about the Earth will remain?"

Yellow Diamond nodded. "You'll still be around, as will a few other members of you Earth-born ilk. But, your places of birth have already been falsified in the record. Other than what's left of you, nothing of this planet will remain."

Yellow Diamond chuckled to herself. "No more Earth. No more Humanity. No more Crystal Gems. No more Rebellion. No more usurpation of the Diamond Authority!"

Jasper unconsciously spoke her thoughts. " _No more Pink Diamond?_ "

Yellow Diamond didn't seem to hear Jasper. Or maybe she just didn't care. "Nothing! _Absolutely nothing!_ "

Jasper just stood there as Yellow Diamond stared at the holomap of Earth. The Quartz didn't know what to say.

And then, with a calm, yet sinister laugh, Yellow Diamond reached out, taking the Geo-Bomb back from Jasper. "Now, leave my chamber. I must recharge, and then we'll destroy this planet!"

Silently, Jasper complied. The Quartz turned around and exited the chambers, with Yellow Diamond's sinister chuckle following her out.

Back at the outer window, staring down at the Earth, Jasper was deep in thought. The Quartz stared down at the little blue planet, her thoughts conflicted after everything that she had heard. "She wants to destroy everything..."

The hurricane of conflict rushing through Jasper's head continued to swirl. How was she expected to process all of this? Destroy the Earth? Wipe it from history? What would that mean?!

The Earth was the planet where Jasper was created. It was her birthplace. But, who cared about that?! That meant nothing to her!

Yellow Diamond wanted to kill Rose Quartz. To shatter her Gem. But, Rose Quartz as the Diamond's knew her was no more. What would even be the point of shatter the Gem at this point? The warrior behind it was long gone!

Yellow Diamond wanted to be rid of Earth to erase any dissention that had ever threatened the Diamond Authority. She wanted everything have to do with this Rebellion gone. But, at what cost?! The Crystal Gems were little more than a fairy tale back on the Homeworld? There's only a handful of Gems that even know some of the Crystal Gem's survived. What good would it do to wipe out a piece of history no one cared about?! It wouldn't be striking any sort of blow to the Crystal Gems! The only person it would truly affect...

Jasper turned her gaze to the Moon, eyeing the little Gem installation on its surface. The only person whom would be affected by this planet being wiped from the record was...

"My Diamond..."

That was it, wasn't it? Yellow Diamond wasn't out to rid history of the Crystal Gems. Or the Rebellion. She was out to finish what she and the other Diamonds had started.

Pink Diamond had been removed from the sigil. Pink Diamond's name was taboo. Pink Diamond was an ancient ghost to all but the ones she ordered created. Now...Yellow Diamond was out to just wipe Pink Diamond from existence. If the Earth died...she would just be gone...

But, what was wrong with that?

Jasper had never questioned her place quite as much as she had since she had arrived on Earth. The Malachite incident had done more than just entrap her for months on end. The Corruption had done more to her than just disable her.

Something had snapped in her head. Something that wasn't there before.

Jasper had always remembered her Diamond, and she had come to Earth for revenge on her Diamond's behalf. But, the Earth had awoken something in her head and her heart and her soul and her very Gem itself. Jasper felt it bubbling within her. She didn't know what to call it...but Earth had awakened it in her. She didn't want to see the planet die. She didn't want to see Pink Diamond's legacy die.

Jasper stared down at Earth, her reflection glaring back at her in the glass of the window. And...she didn't know what to do...


	36. Chapter 36: The Question

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 36: The Question**

 **A/N: So, yeah, the one Chapter a week thing seems like the best strategy. Plus, I do have another thing that I want to write as well. So, if any of you are fans of Dragon Ball Z, be on the look out for that! But, I digress. I hope you all enjoy the penultimate chapter of the "Jasper-demption" Arc! :)**

 _At the Barn..._

"So, what was it like?"

Steven, Jasper, Peridot, and Lapis all turned to Connie. The human girl turned her gaze away from them. "I mean...what did it feel like waiting for her to come back? You guys are alive, so she clearly didn't kill you..."

Lapis swallowed a lump in her throat. "It...it felt like a nightmare..."

Steven sighed and buried his face in his hands. Peridot twiddled her thumbs. "At the time...we thought we were waiting for our own deaths..."

 _The wreckage of Steven's House, Three Months Ago..._

Steven looked dreadful as she licked his hand and touched it to Peridot's cracked Gem. The crack on the stone quickly sealed shut and, after a moment, Peridot popped back out. The green Gem was fearful as she rapidly darted her gaze back and forth, looking for any sign of Yellow Diamond.

Steven quickly calmed her. "It's okay Peridot. She took Jasper and left. Yellow Diamond isn't here right now."

Peridot sighed in relief, falling onto her back. "Oh thank the Di-"

Peridot stopped herself short and her face twisted into a weary frown. Steven shook his head and turned away from Peridot, glancing towards the others. The Crystal Gems were all somber. Pearl and Amethyst sat back to back, both deep in thought. Lapis, as it appeared, hadn't even moved from the spot where she had been poofed. Garnet, meanwhile, was furious.

The Gem Leader had a genuine scowl on her face as she stood there, her fingers tightly gripped in her hair. "I have to think of something...anything."

But, Steven could see it on her face. Garnet's Future Vision was showing her every possible future for when Yellow Diamond would come back. And, going by the fear in her eyes, it was clear that none of the futures were very good for them.

The mood around Steven's house was abysmal. Everyone one present was upset and terrified. They knew what was going to happen soon. They knew that they were no match for Yellow Diamond if she came back just as strong as she had before.

Finally, Steven turned and looked at the most recent addition to his doomed little party. Bismuth was somehow even more somber than the rest of them. Her defeat at the hands of Yellow Diamond hadn't done well on her. She was utterly ashamed. Mostly due to all of her bluster being thrown in her face. She had argued to Rose and to Steven that, if they wouldn't fight the Diamonds, she kill them all herself. And now, now she knew that that wasn't anywhere in the realm of possibility. She was little more than a toy to Yellow Diamond. Or, even worse, a mere _day laborer_.

Finally, after a tense few moments of silence, Bismuth turned to the others and faintly smiled. "If this is really it. If it's really the end...I'm sorry you guys. About what happened with Rose...about what happened with Steven...I wish we could spent a bit more time together before all of this..."

Garnet, despite being amidst a gigantic B.S.O.D., sadly chuckled. "Yeah. Sorry we weren't there to help you with all of your issues Bismuth. We could've tried harder to help you...if Rose would have told us what had happened..."

Pearl glanced up at Bismuth, their eyes meeting. Bismuth sadly smiled at her. Pearl, with tears in her eyes, stood and walked over to Bismuth, sitting next to her and curling into the fetal postion, pressing herself into Bismuth's side and sighing in relief as the larger Gem grabbed her into a an embrace.

Finally, Bismuth turned her attention to the scowling, prone Lapis. "Hey...little blue Gem, I'm sorry to you too. I didn't realize you were a non-combatant. I wouldn't have-"

Lapis interrupted. "Don't act like you wouldn't have still attacked me. We both know you would have..."

Bismuth flinched back. Lapis sighed. "But I don't care at this point. I stopped caring about that after a punched you in the face last time. We're...cool. I guess..."

As the Crystal Gems, Lapis, and Bismuth all made their peace with one another, Steven just curled into a tight, fearful ball. The little hybrid shivered as he pulled his knees close. Peridot, feeling empathy for her friend, reached over and grabbed him into a big hug.

Steven quickly hugged her back and the two of them sat their, at least assured that they still had one another to face the end.

Amethyst chuckled as the two youngest Gem's held one another. "Well...Yellow Diamond might be preparing to kill us, but at least she brought us all together for it..."

Lapis wearily smirked. "Yeah. Surprisingly...I'm not unhappy being near you all. I'm actually kind of glad...if I'm going to face my shattering alongside anyone...it might as well be you guys..."

Finally, unable to think of anything, Garnet fell into a sitting position. "Yeah. I'm sorry everyone. I'm trying to think of something..but it's not looking good. My Future Vision isn't showing any possible future of us winning..."

Lapis frowned. "Well...putting that aside, I'm not just worried about Yellow Diamond in this situation."

Ganret nodded. "Yeah, I'm thinking about how she'll factor into this too."

Peridot cocked her head. "What?! What's going on?!"

Steven spoke in a small voice. "Yellow Diamond cured Jasper's Corruption. And she took Jasper with her when she left. So, when she comes back..."

Peridot scowled. "We'll have to deal with _Jasper_ too."

Lapis was silent for a minute. The blue Gem swallowed a lump in her throat and fell into deep thought. Peridot looked over at her and spoke gently. "Lapis...I know that you and Jasper have...issues. Are you going to be alright? I mean...beyond what Yellow Diamond is going to do?"

Ignoring Peridot, Lapis turned to Garnet. "Hey, Garnet."

Garnet glanced at Lapis. "Yes?"

Lapis finally sat up and, with a fiery look in her eye, she shared her plan with Garnet. "I think I might be able to split them up. I'll take Jasper and the rest of you take Yellow Diamond! If we catch them off guard we might be able to defeat them!"

Garnet looked unsure. Lapis glared at her. "Look. We both know that if Yellow Diamond and Jasper work together, there's no way that we'll win! So, I'll take Jasper away and you stop Yellow Diamond. I know how she works, I can hold her off for a while!"

Garnet was wary. Worriedly, she stared at Lapis and asked a question. "But, what if Jasper kills you?"

Lapis shrugged. "What if she does? I can't go home. I hate this planet. And I'd be giving my only two friends a chance at being able to go on living. If that's how I go down, then at least I'd be going down doing something worthwhile..."

Garnet sighed and reached up to her face. Summoning a new pair of shades, the Gem Leader reluctantly agreed. "Fine. If that's what you want to do, then do it."

Lapis nodded, a confident glare in her eye. "Right."

Garnet turned from Lapis and towards the other Gems. "Okay then everyone. If Lapis is going to fight Jasper, we have to do our part too! So, here's the best plan I can think of..."

The Crystal Gems all gather together, Lapis, Peridot, and Bismuth all joining them in a huddle. And, with a tired look on her face, Garnet began to explain, quite possibly, the last plan she'd ever come up with.

 _At the Barn..._

Connie was morose as Lapis, Peridot, and Steven described the despair that they felt at that point. The human girl sadly frowned and gripped her knees. "I...I wish that I was there. I wish I could've been there to help you guys..."

Peridot warmly smiled and gave Connie a part on the shoulder. "No. No...you're fine Connie. I'm glad that your weren't there!"

Lapis nodded in agreement. "To be fair...Yellow Diamond would've probably splattered you against the ground if you had been there. So, it's probably better that you were in school at the time."

Connie swallowed a nervous lump in her throat. "O-okay. That's fair. So...what happened next?"

Steven flinched. "Huh?"

Connie sat up straight. "You're all still alive. And Yellow Diamond's Gem is apparently in that box. So, I'm interested. What exactly happened next?!"

Connie turned to Jasper. "You were there too, right? So, now I can finally get a picture of what happened from all four of your perspectives! So, please, share with me what happened next!"

In spite of everything, the four of them could only chuckle in response to all of this. Connie had fallen out of shock at learning about all of this, now she just wanted to know what happened next in the story. Jasper chuckled. "Yeah. We can give you a full picture."

 _The wreckage of Steven's House, Three Months Ago..._

In a flash of yellow light, Yellow Diamond and Jasper both touched back down on Earth. Jasper shifted uncomfortably as she and Yellow Diamond both strode forth. She didn't want to be here. She didn't want to be doing this. She didn't want to be working towards this with Yellow Diamond...but what choice did she have at this point?

The two of them looked around and saw nothing. The trail of poofed Gems that Yellow Diamond had left in her wake were all gone. So, at the very least, they had all reformed. And yet, everything was quiet. Everything was still. Less than an hour ago, this beach was a warzone. Now, there was nothing here. Yellow Diamond snickered as she gazed over the entire beach. "Maybe they all fled to an even more pathetic planet..."

Yellow Diamond turned to Jasper. "What do you-"

And then it hit the fan. In the middle of her sneering and posturing, Yellow Diamond was caught off-guard by a sudden tackle from beneath.

Bursting from the ground, followed by a huge jet of magma, Bismuth rammed Yellow Diamond in the stomach, burning the Diamond Monarch and sending her sailing into the air. And then, before Yellow Diamond could react, Bismuth transformed her hand into a giant hammer and smashed her back to the ground. The Diamond growled and stood back up, ready to shatter Bismuth, but was immediately stopped by the jet of lava being redirected into her.

Bismuth smirked as her hands, both transformed into giant scoops, redirected the lava flow to the point it was raining down onto Yellow Diamond's head.

Seeing her leader in peril, despite her antipathy towards her, Jasper tried to rush to Yellow Diamond's aid. However, the Quartz was immediately routed by a thick sheet of ice forming a wall in front of her. Jasper gasped and took a step back, only to flinch at the sight of Lapis's blank-eyed reflection in the ice.

And then, even more shockingly, Yellow Diamond's lava-blanketed form was doused in a large jet of seawater, sealing the Diamond in a thick crust of hardened magma. Jasper cringed and spun around to face Lapis, but is blutnly smacked away by a giant hand made of water.

Lapis glared at the increasingly small speck that was Jasper as it sailed through the air. And then, she turned to Bismuth and nodded. Bismuth, her scoop hands full of magma, nodded back. And then, with a deep sigh, Lapis sprouted a pair of wings and flew after Jasper.

And then, after Lapis had flown away, Bismuth turned her attention back to Yellow Diamond and sneered at the sight of yellow energy already shining through cracks in the rock. Bismuth quickly splattered the two handfuls of magma over the cracks followed by two scoops full of water.

The magma shored up for another moment, Bismuth turned to the wreckage of Steven's house. "Now! Come on!"

And come they did.

From their hiding spots in the rubble, three Gems came out. Sardonyx, Smoky Quartz, and Peridot all launched from the rubble and ran towards Yellow Diamond, their weapons at the ready. Bismuth smirked and grabbed another scoop of magma and a scoop of water and she ran from the other side. It was now or never. Do or Die. Either they would win, or Yellow Diamond would.

Beach City Secret Cove, Three Months Ago...

Nestled in a small cove on the other side of Beach City Funland, Jasper emerged from the crater that she had left in the ground. The Quartz ground as she rose from the sand, only to be immediately seized by chains made of water. Jasper struggled to avoid being pulled into the sea. She strained as she fought agains the chains, eventually shattering them full stop.

Jasper grunted in anger, falling to her knees and breathing heavily from the strain. And then, the Quartz glared up into the sky. "After all this time, do you really think I'd let you drag me down there again?!"

Floating down from the sky, like the archangel herself, Lapis glared right back at Jasper. However, even as she touched down, the blue Gem remained silent.

Jasper sneered. "Of all the Gems that could have been the one to distract me, why'd it have to be you?! Why not that Fusion?! Or even that overcooked runt?! _Why you?!_ "

Lapis took a deep breath and let it out through her nose. "Because it's time to end this! All of this! Everything between you and I comes to a head here, Jasper! So, get ready to defend yourself..."

Lapis splayed out her arms and, from the nearby ocean, an army of Jasper clones came marching out. Jasper sneered as each of her likenesses gathered in front of her, each of them summoning a Crash Helmet made of solid ice. Lapis glared at Jasper. " _...cuz here we come!_ "

The water Gem thrusted her finger forward and she and her clone army charged. Jasper roared and summoned her own Crash Helmet, charging right backat Lapis. And then an all out brawl broke loose.

Jasper grunted and growled as she fought droves of nearly perfect clones of her all at once. Each of them hit as hard as she did, they moved as fast as she did, they knew every move that Jasper knew that Lapis knew of. And, to Jasper's shock, they were overwhelming her. The watery doppelgangers piled on top of Jasper, forcing her to the ground and holding her there as they pummeled her. For a good, long moment, it seemed as if Lapis was going to win.

And then reality reared its ugly head.

Lapis was smart. Lapis was crafty. Lapis knew Jasper pretty well from all the time they had spent fused together. And, most of all, Lapis was nearly all-powerful on Earth. But that didn't make her unbeatable.

Killing off the Jasper clones one at a time would do no good. Lapis could easily replace them if they were defeated one at a time. But, after gaining some momentum, Jasper found a counter that worked to her advantage.

The Ultimate Quartz pulled her arms free of the clones, shoving them all slightly away. And then, with a quick spin attack, Jasper launched from the pile of clones and into the air.

Lapis looked up in disdain, forming her army of smaller clones into three gigantic ones. Lapis called up after Jasper in a rage. "Take to the air all you want! You have to come down eventually!"

Jasper glared down at Lapis and whispered to herself. "Correct. And when I do I'm taking you with me..."

And then, clasping her fists, Jasper did begin to fall. The Quartz fell, her hands acting as a club, and she smashed in one of the giant Jasper clones heads. And then, in the confusion, Jasper rocketed forth, using her spin attack to smash into and burst the second one. Finally, Jasper landed on the side of a bluff and glared at the final clone and the Lapis floating next to it.

Lapis's eyes widened. She knew what was about to happen. In a panic, the blue Gem quickly retreated behind her final clone.

Jasper smirked. Exactly what she was hoping for.

The Quartz roared in anger and quickly rolled into another spin attack. And then, with all the force she could muster, Jasper launched herself forward.

Lapis gasped in terror as she realized what was happening. She had retreated behind the clone in defense, but it had given Jasper just what she needed. A clear shot at both of them. Lapis faintly smiled as Jasper came shooting forth at top speed. This was what she wanted. And this was what Lapis had expected. As brutish as Jasper could be, she _was_ a military genius. And what was Lapis but a tourist out of place?

Jasper collided with the final water clone and went through it like a knife through butter. Lapis had no time to move out of the way. The blue Gem smirked and chuckled to herself, recalling a line from a movie she had watched with Steven and Peridot. Jasper burst through the water clone, fist drawn, and Lapis silently mumbled to herself. "Clever girl."

And then Jasper smashed her fist into Lapis's cheek. The blue Gem fell limp and tumbled from the sky, crashing into the grown. And then, barely a second later, Jasper was on top of her. Lapis didn't have the strength to resist as the Quartz began to smash her head further and further into the ground.

However, with each punch, Lapis could tell that something was off. As each giant fist rained down on her face, Lapis frowned more and more. Not from the pain, but from the inherent feeling that something wasn't right.

Jasper grunted with rage as she levied punch after punch into Lapis's face. All she needed was for Lapis to poof. She just needed her to poof. Jasper exploded with rage as she levied another punch into Lapis's cheek. " _JUST POOF!_ "

However, Lapis, although unconscious, stubbornly refused. But, Jasper sighed, at least she was unconscious. Jasper stood from the broken, beaten form of Lapis and turned away. The Quartz saw the yellow flashes in the distance. "It looks like Yellow Diamond is getting busy..."

Jasper sighed and began to walk away. "I just have to end this. Just end this and put is all behind me..."

Jasper limped a few steps forward. And then she stopped. "But..."

Jasper gripped her fist tight. "I...I don't know if I..."

Jasper collapsed to the ground. On her knees, the Quartz grabbed a handful of sand and watched it drift through her fingers. Her thoughts zipped through her head at a mile a minute. Could she really, _really_ go through with it? _Could she just stand by while her Diamond's planet died in front of her?_

And then, as her thoughts cried out, begging her to decide what to do, another voice spoke out to Jasper. "You're...pathetic..."

Jasper flinched and turned around. The Quartz could only kneel there and watch as Lapis, her face bruised and scuffed, shakily stood. Lapis spoke again. "You hear me?! You're...you're pathetic..."

Jasper didn't know what to say. As Lapis shakily limped towards her, Jasper could only sit there and take the blue Gem's castigations. Because, deep down she knew, Lapis was right. Jasper knew that she was pathetic. It was pathetic that she was having so much trouble making this one simple decision. It was only a planet.

Jasper looked back down at the sand. "Just a planet..."

She grabbed a handful of sand and let it pour out of her hand. "The planet I was born on..."

She did it again. "My Diamond's planet..."

And again. "My worst enemies planet..."

And again. "The planet Yellow Diamond wants destroyed..."

Jasper was broken from her rail-lacking train of thought by Lapis seizing her collar. Lapis sneered down at Jasper. "What is _the matter_ with you?!"

Jasper sneered and glared at Lapis. "Wh-what are you talking about?!"

Using her free hand, Lapis reached up to her face and began to rub a huge scuff from one of the blows Jasper had dealt her. "We were stuck together for a year, Jasper. _A year! One full Earth year!_ We were stuck together, _under the weight of the ocean_ , fighting for control of Malachite! Fighting over whether we would stay trapped...or be free of one another..."

Jasper scoffed. " _What's your point?!_ "

Lapis sneered at Jasper. "My point...is that I _know_ you can hit harder than that! I have a year of experience...memories that I'll _never_ forget, that you can, _and will if you want to_ , hit harder than that!"

Jasper flinched back. And then her gaze instantly hit the floor. She was embarassed, annoyed, maybe even slightly regretful. Lapis snarled at her. "Look at me!"

Jasper refused to make eye contact. Lapis roared in frustration and grabbed Jasper by her jaw, jerking her head to force her into looking Lapis in the eye. " _LOOK AT ME!_ "

Jasper shrank back, seeing true fury in Lapis's eyes for the first time. Feeling entirely too small, Jasper squeaked out an answer. "...what...?"

Lapis let loose a ragged sigh. "You aren't being you...if you wanted, if you were truly dedicated to this little mission that you and Yellow Diamond are on, you'd have shattered me by now!"

Lapis took a deep breath. "And the fact that you haven't is a clear sign that something is wrong..."

Jasper didn't know what to say. Lapis glared at her. "And after that half-hearted beating you just dished out...I'm done with this Jasper. Either tell me what's going on...or _shatter me_!"

Jasper opened her mouth to speak. "I..."

Lapis glared at her. "What?! Don't tell me that you're taking easy because you're hoping we can _fuse_ again! I told you before Jasper... _never again_! So, if that's the only reason that you're not just ending this..."

At that moment, Lapis looked utterly worn out. The blue Gem wearily gazed at Jasper. "Then...just end it..."

Jasper stood. She glared down at Lapis and curled her fist. "You're right..."

Lapis glanced up at Jasper and saw her raising her fist into the air. The blue Gem smiled and chuckled, sighing out. Almost in relief. Jasper glared down at Lapis. And her thoughts began to go wild again.

" _This was the planet I was born on..."_

Her fist began to tremble.

" _This was my Diamond's planet..."_

Her arm began to fall limp.

" _This was Rose Quartz's, her hated enemies, planet..."_

She lowered her arm to her side.

" _This planet is the last thing standing in my way of being free of Yellow Diamond..."_

Jasper glared at Lapis, silently waiting for the end.

" _This planet...this is the planet where I met the lov-"_

Jasper felt tears building in her eyes as the thoughts of the Beta Kindergarten, Pink Diamond, Rose Quartz, Yellow Diamond, and now Lapis ran through her head.

Jasper fell to her knees and the question that had been tormenting her since her Corruption, since the Shatter Machine, since Yellow Diamond had healed her, and the question that was tormenting her now: Could she stand by and watch the Earth be destroyed?

And, it was then that Jasper realized the answer to this longstanding, tormenting question. She stared down at Lapis as Lapis stared up at her. Their eyes met and they both just sat there. Jasper was weary. Lapis was weary. And Jasper knew what she had to do.


	37. Chapter 37: Traitor

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 37: Traitor**

 _A/N: And with this, the "Jasper-demption" Arc is over. This took quite a bit longer than I wanted it to, but I'm back to full health and can't wait to put out the next big arc I have planned. So, I do hope you enjoy what I have to put forth. And, I know it's late, but Happy Thanksgiving to anyone reading this. Hope everyone had a good holiday! :)_

 _The Wreckage of Steven's House, 3 Months Ago..._

Yellow Diamond roared as she swung her energy blades at Sardonyx and Smoky Quartz. The Diamond was livid as her blade clashed with the one the Fusion's War Hammer. Sardonyx chuckled and gave the Diamond Monarch a pat on the head. "It's okay to be flustered dear!'

Yellow Diamond seized Sardonyx by the face. " _Did you forget your place?!_ "

As Yellow Diamond shot Sardonyx point blank, she was quickly restrained by Smoky's Battle Yo-Yo's. Smoky chuckled. "No, seriously, if you'd like a break to collect yourself we can wait!"

Yellow Diamond answered with a swift kick to Smoy Quartz's stomach. " _Says the Fusion of a runt and coward who was trying to hide under the guise of being human! Would it kill you to show some dignity and fight me face-to-face, Rose Quartz?!_ "

A large piece of metal smashed against the back of Yellow Diamond's head. "Hey, Yellow Diamond! We're trying to throw you off by stressing you out-"

Yellow Diamond sneered. "Well obvi-"

Peridot smirked and shouted out. "You _CLOD_!"

Rage erupted across Yellow Diamond's face and she shot beams out of her eyes at Peridot, only to have them smashed back at her by Sardonyx's War Hammer. The Diamond Monarch stumbled back, clutching her singed face and was stuck down by Smoky's Battle Yo-Yo's.

But, before she could hit the ground, she was launched back to her feet by a giant hammer to the back, courtesy of Bismuth. But, even then, she was quickly met by a storm of metal objects sending her flying back into the ocean.

Yellow Diamond struggled to her feet and snarled as Bismuth, Peridot, Smoky Quartz, and Sardonyx all gathered in front of her. This was _not_ going how she wanted it to. Her body was moving so sluggishly. This was most likely due to her transport ship not having nearly as much power stored in it as she had thought. She had only managed to complete her recharge half way before the entire rig had shut down. Even when she did eventually win, she'd have to wait for her subordinates to send a retrieval ship for her. Either way, this wasn't quite the overwhelming assault it had been before. Her power was lessened and she wasn't dominating as she had wanted to.

On the Crystal Gems side of things, the all had wordlessly come to the same conclusion: something was very off here. Yellow Diamond wasn't as strong as she had been before. Her strength was waning. Her skin was flush. She wasn't bursting with the same power that nearly everyone present knew the Diamond's to be capable of. She was still a Titan, however she now seemed less _totally invincible_.

While the others were wary, Sardonyx was unwilling to let this open opportunity just pass by. Without skipping a beat, the Fusion of Garnet and Pearl charged forth and smashed Yellow Diamond in the chest with her War Hammer.

Sardonyx truned and motioned to Bismuth and then went back to smashing Yellow Diamond. Bismuth nodded and immediately began digging deep into the Earth's crust.

Sardonyx didn't let up. She drew back her War Hammer and swung it again and again and again and again and again. Until, that is, Yellow Diamond managed to regain her footing. The Diamond was furious as she caught herself and seize Sardonyx by the arms. Yellow Diamond glared at Sardonyx and then shot a beam of energy out of her mouth and directly into Sardonyx's face.

The Fusion went flying back only to be quickly replaced by Smoky Quartz. Smoky pulled her Yo-Yo's in for a heavy strike, but was immediately smashed from the air by Yellow Diamond's energy encased hands.

Yellow Diamond was not willing to give any more chances. She wanted to end this before her power ran out. She roared and tried to lunge at Smoky, but was shocked when she didn't budge. The Diamond looked down at her ankles and gasped at the sight of them encased in hardened magma. Bismuth smirked at her and Yellow Diamond snarled. Immediately, the Diamond raised her hands in the air, charged a giant ball of energy, and fired down onto Bismuth, driving her into the sand and melting her in a gigantic ball of glass.

The Diamond coated her left hand in energy and formed a giant blade. She glared at Bismuth and prepared to plunge the blade into Bismuth's Gem, but was knocked off balance by an oven smashing into her back.

Yellow Diamond turned and glared at the source of the oven. Peridot, pumped up on adrenaline and barely shaking in terror at all, sneered at her former leader. Sick and tired of these interruptions, Yellow Diamond blasted Peridot with her eye beams. The Diamond then turned her attention back to Bismuth only to be tackled to the ground by the revived Sardonyx and Smoky.

Yellow Diamond groaned and grunted as Smoky and Sardonyx laid into her. Their blows doing more and more and more damage as they weared on. Yellow Diamond was losing her composure even more. She wanted this to be over. She wanted these worms to be shattered and by gone for good.

And then, Smoky Quartz's Yo-Yo smashed Yellow Diamond in the face.

The Diamond went flying back, her heels screeching through the sand until she came to a stop at the edge of the ocean. Yellow Diamond screamed in rage and glared at Sardonyx and Smoky Quartz. In response, Smoky gasped in surprise. Sardonyx cocked her head. " _Wh-what?!_ "

Yellow Diamond clenched her teeth. "What?! What is-"

The Diamond looked down at the waves lapping at her feet. And she gasped in horror at what it was she saw. The image was slightly distorted, but it was clear to everyone exactly what was wrong. Yellow Diamond reached up to her face and felt a giant crack spreading down the entirety of her left cheek.

There was and intense silence between the three. An intense silence that was immediately broken by Peridot. " _What the heck is going on with your face?!_ "

Yellow Diamond was utterly livid. Not responding at all, she thrust both of her hands towards the two Fusions before her and fired two energy bolts at her foes. Sardonyx and Smoky both dodged, Yellow Diamond's rage having thrown off her aim, and proceeded to go for the final strike.

But, suddenly, to Smoky Quartz's surprise, Sardonyx was knocked for the air by a fast moving flying object. Yellow Diamond growled and looked to the source of the object, immediately clamping her hand over the crack on her face.

Smoky quickly ran over to Sardonyx, surprised and horrified at the sight of Lapis, having been thrown so hard that she had impaled through the larger Fusion. Almost immediately, Sardonyx defused, seperating and tumbling back into Pearl and Garnet.

Smoky quickly turned, ready to defend herself, only to be shocked at the sight of Jasper looming right over her. Smoky gasped, taking a step back to regain herself, and then pulling out her Yo-Yo's. The Fusion took a deep breath, and then stepped back up to Jasper, ready to fight.

Yellow Diamond laughed out loud, glaring over at the unconscious and severely beaten Lapis and then up at the horrified Peridot. " _NOW! THIS IS IT! YOU'RE ALL FINISHED!_ "

Yellow Diamond jabbed her finger at Jasper. " _Listen to me Jasper! We've won!_ "

Jasper glanced out of the corner of her eye at Yellow Diamond. The Diamond was totally manic. " _Shatter them! ALL of them!_ _ **No survivors!**_ _Once you do that, it's all over! This planet can die and we can finally leave this section of space for good!_ "

But then, to Yellow Diamond's shock, Jasper turned to her. The Ultimate Quartz totally blew off Smoky Quartz and stalked up to Yellow Diamond, an intense glare filling her eyes. Yellow Diamond was furious. " _What to you think you're doing?! Listen to my commands! Yield to my Authority!_ "

Jasper tuned her out. The Quartz glanced up at the Moon, barely visible in the sky. And then, she turned and looked over at Lapis. The blue Gem was struggling to get into and upright position. Jasper took a deep breath, straightening her face into its usual scowl, and she turned back to Yellow Diamond. "I need you to answer some questions that I have."

Yellow Diamond wearily and raggedly sighed. With visible rage in her one uncovered eye, she glared down at Jasper. "You disrespectful little pebble..."

Jasper didn't budge. Yellow Diamond clenched her fist so hard that her knuckles cracked. "Fine... _what?!_ "

Jasper didn't break eye contact with the flustered Diamond. "You want to destroy this planet..."

Yellow Diamond nodded. " _Yes! I do! What of it?!_ "

Jasper was shaking. "Well...what does that mean for _Pink Diamond_?!"

Yellow Diamond rolled her eyes. " _Oh come on! Again with this nonsense?!_ "

Jasper's eyebrow twitched upward in anger. That was not the response she wanted. Stealthily, she flashed her glare back at Lapis. The blue Gem was watching on, surprised at Jasper's decision to stand up to Yellow Diamond.

Smoky Quartz was equally as surprised. The Fusion could only stand there, watching as Jasper stood up to the Titan that had been terrorizing them all for the past day. Jasper snarled at Yellow Diamond. "You want to totally erase this planet from Homeworld history...but what about the Diamond this planet was chosen for?! This planet and everything that happened on it is the legacy of Pink Diamond, _my Diamond_! So what does your destruction of this place mean for her?! _Well_?!"

Yellow Diamond stood there, a cold fury streaked across her face. She glared down at Jasper. Jasper glared back up at her. The icy cold silence was layered so thick over the beach that it was practically freezing the ocean at their feet. Yellow Diamond opened her mouth to speak and Jasper tensed up. The Diamond sneered. "It _doesn't_ matter."

Jasper flinched, her eyes widening in rage. Yellow Diamond snarled at the Quartz, her free hand visibly shaking. " _IT DOESN'T MATTER! IT WILL NEVER MATTER AGAIN! PINK DIAMOND DOESN'T MATTER ANYMORE!_ "

Yellow Diamond glowered over Jasper. "Pink Diamond. Is. _DEAD_! And _nothing_ will change that! Her legacy means _nothing_ anymore! And _your_ opinion of how we handle her legacy is irrelevant! She was one of us! Not one of you lowly soldiers! She wasn't _your_ comrade, she was _our_ contemporary! And if we so choose to strike her from history, we shall do so! And you will shut your mouth, accept our decision, and yield to our Authority!"

Yellow Diamond turned her attention to Smoky Quartz. "The only thing left to do on this worthless planet is end the legacy of Pink Diamond's killer! And, you see that Fusion?!"

Yellow Diamond jabbed her free index finger at the Gem on Smoky Quartz's navel. "Rose Quartz yet lives! She was merely hiding her presence by masquerading as a _human bug_! Once she and the rest of these traitors are gone, that will be it! Everything having to do with this entire mess will be gone and _I'll_ finally be able to move on from this!"

Yellow Diamond then pointed at the tear in Jasper's jumpsuit, right where her Diamond insignia had once been, before she had torn it off in a rage. "I don't know what has happened to it! But my Diamond insignia is supposed to be emblazoned across your chest! Your are still my subordinate! And you will do as I say!"

Yellow Diamond leaned down into Jasper's face. "Now, go over there, and shatter all of those traitors! These are _my_ orders to you!"

The Diamond was mere inches from Jasper's face, their noses nearly touching. Yellow Diamond squeezed her hand over the crack on her face and snarled. "Are. We. Clear?"

Jasper was shaking with anger. She took a deep breath, and then she gave a single word response. " _No._ "

And then, before Yellow Diamond could react, Jasper summoned her Crash Helmet and delivered a devastating headbutt right into Yellow Diamond's face. The Diamond roared in pain and fell back,her hands clamped over her ruined, shattered face.

Jasper snarled at Yellow Diamond and stood tall over the Diamond. "I don't care if she was your contemporary! Pink Diamond was my Diamond! My creator! And I will not allow her to be wiped from history like an after thought! You, _Yellow Diamond_ , will not be the final nail in her coffin!"

Yellow Diamond quivered as she knelt in front of Jasper. She shouted out from behind her hands. "That coffin is already long buried! You're defending a ghost! _Why won't you just move on from this?!_ "

Still shielding her face, Yellow Diamond got to her feet. "And I am loosing my patience with you. White Diamond's orders only stretch so far before I'm able to make my own decisions on matters! And I have no plans to take any more Rebellion from this miserable rock..."

Jasper flinched back as an inferno of yellow energy erupted from Yellow Diamond's form. "So, here is your ultimatum...you will _comply_...or you will _die_... _ **CHOOSE!**_ "

Jasper swallowed a lump in her throat. This was it. Where did her loyalties lie? The Ultimate Quartz gazed back up at the Moon again, remembering the day of Pink Diamond's death. And then...she took one last look back at Lapis.

The blue Gem flinched as Jasper made eye contact with her. And, for a moment, time froze. The Ultimate Quartz and the Gem from the Mirror both stared at one another. Jasper's gaze almost pleading for some answer as to what she should do. Lapis reacting with utter confusion of how to answer.

Their time as Malachite had connected them. As much as neither was willing to admit, they could feel what the other was thinking. They just stared at one another, as yellow energy boiled the ocean away. And then, Lapis's concentration was broken. She felt something collide with her and looked down to see a terrified Peridot clutching at her side.

With this, Lapis gained a determined glare. She turned her attention back to Jasper, and she gave one silent, solemn nod. Jasper nodded back and turned towards the furious Yellow Diamond. She had made her choice. Jasper glared up at Yellow Diamond and spoke. "Fine. I've made my choice. I'm done."

Yellow Diamond roared in a blind fury. Jasper stood firm. "This planet is the legacy of Pink Diamond. And I'll stand against anyone who would dare try to destroy it! Whether it some random Gem who doesn't remember her... _or the three of you!_ "

Jasper sneered at Yellow Diamond. "So, what do you think of-"

Immediately, with a cold shadow cast over her face, Yellow Diamond thrust her hand into Jasper's face. "Fine. _Die._ "

And, without a second thought, Yellow Diamond launched a massive attack right in Jasper's face, engulfing her in yellow energy and blasting her point blank. And then, having delved into full laughing madness, Yellow Diamond reached into her overcoat and pulled out her Geo Bomb. " _Now! Now this planet dies! And every last traitor dies with it!_ "

However, before Yellow Diamond could arm the bomb, a spinning ball came shooting from the burning crater that Yellow Diamond had blasted Jasper into. The ball slammed into Yellow Diamond's stoamch and sent her careening back into the ocean. The Geo Bomb harmlessly fell to the ground and shattered, neutralized from doing its planet-destroying duty.

Jasper unfurled and leapt into the air, only lightly singed. "You're losing your touch! If you think that weak attack will be enough to stop me, you're wrong!"

The Ultimate Quartz, completely blinded by rage, fell from the sky and slammed her fists into Yellow Diamond's chest. She leapt into the air again and summoned her Crash Helmet. "I won't die like that! I won't die to you!"

Jasper fell from the sky and slammed her helmeted forehead into Yellow Diamond's stomach. She leapt into the air again and re-curled into a ball. She began to spin as dropped backdown. " _YOU WILL LEAVE PINK DIAMOND'S PLANET! NOW!_ "

Jasper rocketed back down to deliver a decisive blow, but was caught midair. Yellow Diamond struggle back to her feet and scream at the top of her lungs. "TRAITOR!"

The Diamond reared back, her fist covered in yellow energy and sent Jasper flying across the beach with a single heavy punch. Jasper quickly got back to her feet and readied to defend herself as Yellow Diamond, right hand clutching over her face, staggered forward. " _YOU'RE JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER GEM THAT HAS EVER STEPPED FOOT ON THIS ACCURSED PLANET! YOU"RE A FILTHY TRAITOR!_ _ **A CRYSTAL GEM!**_ _I'M SICK OF DEALING WITH PERSONEL LIKE YOU!_ "

Yellow Diamond charged up an energy bolt in her hand and sprinted towards Jasper. " _I'LL HAVE YOUR SHARDS FRAMED AND DISPLAYED!_ "

Jasper, showing no fear, immediately charged right back at Yellow Diamond, meeting her halfway. The two clashed, yellow fist colliding with Crash Helmet and causing a shockwave so magnificent it caused the rocks on the bluffs surrounding Steven's house to crack. Jasper spat right back in Yellow Diamond's face. "I'm no Crystal Gem! I'M A LOYAL SERVANT OF PINK DIAMOND!"

And then, rearing her free fist back, Jasper shot a massive punch at Yellow Diamond, catching her on her left elbow and shattering her entire arm off. Jasper, Yellow Diamond, and all of the other spectators could only watch, in stunned silence, as the now severed limb fell to the ground and and shattered into millions of tiny pieces.

Yellow Diamond pulled her now arm stump up and stared at it in shocked fear. Jasper, a new confident smile spread across her face, immediately charged the now disarmed Diamond.

And that was where the fight quickly began to go down hill.

Yellow Diamond tried to defend herself, using her remaining arm as a blade to try and slash Jasper, only for her power to sputter out and fail her. The Diamond looked down at her arm stump and grimaced at the sight of yellow energy rapidly draining from her body. From her wound up, her skin was slowly but surely becoming tranluscent and clear.

Jasper, meanwhile, was only growing more and more confident. She slammed Yellow Diamond to the ground and smashed her fist into Yellow Diamond's head, only causing the cracks on her face to increase in size.

Lapis, Peridot, and Smoky Quartz all watched on. Soon enough, they were joined by Pearl, Garnet, and Bismuth. They all sat there, flabbergasted at the sight of Jasper manhandling the titanic Gem that had them all on the brink mere minutes ago.

Finally, Peridot shouted out what everyone was thinking. " _WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?!_ "

Jasper chuckled as Yellow Diamond's cracked form dragged itself away. As she stalked up to the retreating Diamond, Jasper began to explain. "Well, I can explain. Ya see, this isn't Yellow Diamond..."

All of the others flinched back. " _WHAT?!_ "

Jasper nodded and laughed out loud. "It's not her! It's a fake! A stand in! _A Cubic Zirconium!_ "

Jasper cackled and stomped her foot down on the fake Yellow Diamond's ankle. "Cubic Zirconium are powered-up stand-ins that the Diamond's send whenever they don't want to handle problems personally! They're normally used to fight large scale wars! But...for _this?!_ "

Jasper laughed right in the stand-in's face. "Where are you, you _coward_?! You really couldn't bring yourself to face _seven and a half Gems_?!

Jasper stomped down on the Cubic Zirconium's thigh and pulled up, snatching off its left leg. "Is Earth really such a _'scary place'_ that you can't even bring yourself to step foot on it?!"

Fake Yellow Diamond was panicking as she desperately tried to get away from Jasper. She rolled onto her back and held up her hands, vainly attempting to abate the Quartz. "Wait! Wait!"

Jasper stopped. Fake Yellow Diamond quickly point with her remaining hand. "D-did you not hear me before?! That Fusion standing behind you is composed on an Amethyst and _ROSE QUARTZ_! The killer of your precious Pink Diamond is literally right behind you!"

Jasper stopped short and glanced back at Smoky Quartz. Fake Yellow Diamond was manic. "Yes! Go! Go destroy her! Do it!"

Jasper smirked and shook her head. "Nah. That would be pointless..."

Fake Yellow Diamond flinched. "What?!"

Jasper sighed. "Rose Quartz is long dead. That...thing...is a half-breed abomination that she produced. It's not her...it's her creation..."

The Ultimate Quartz glared down at her former master. "And, as fun as it would be to twist its head off...I can think of several things that would be more fun..."

Jasper cracked her knuckles. Fake Yellow Diamond was horrified. "W-wait..."

Jasper began to advance on her once more. The Fake Diamond slowly tried to crawl away, her power totally drained. "Wait! I...I can offer you so much!"

Jasper stomped on Fake Yellow Diamond's knee, shattering her lower leg off. Yellow Diamond cried out. "Fortune! Power! Anything you desire! All you have to do is kill Rose Quartz's rebels, help me return to my ship, and everything..."

Jasper callously swiped at Fake Yellow Diamond, smashing off her remaining hand. Jasper sighed and shook her head. "No. Killing them won't make a difference. I'd just be doing your dirty work until your found some way to surreptitiously kill me off without White Diamond noticing. And if you're going to kill me, Yellow Diamond, it's going to be face-to-face."

Fake Yellow Diamond shook her head. "No! No no no! You misunderstand! I won't...I won't do anything like that! You haven't done anything to me personally, you've just taken out some frustrations on a mere tool! Please..."

Jasper summoned her Crash Helmet. Fake Yellow Diamond's voice hitched in her throat. "Please! Just destroy them for me! And then...you can have this entire planet to yourself! This planet, its Moon, and all of the Pink Diamond memories attached to it! You can have them and I'll never bother you again!"

Jasper shook her head. "No. That's a bold-faced lie and you know it. And you know how I know it?"

Jasper knelt down to the Fake Yellow Diamond. "I know it because I know how you and Blue Diamond operate. And I know why you want all of this Pink Diamond stuff to disappear."

Fake Yellow Diamond glared at Jasper. Jasper smirked down at her. "It's because, in spite of her being dead, Pink Diamond makes the two of you look terrible. Because, at the end of the day, at least Pink Diamond had the guts to face down Rose Quartz to the bitter end. You and Blue Diamond...you just don't have that."

Jasper stood up. "And you don't have to tell me where you really are right now, because I know where you are. You're hidden away on the War Diamond, sitting in the ridiculous recliner, most likely having that Pearl of yours rub your feet as you stare into this things control orb..."

Yellow Diamond flinched back. Jasper snickered. "What's wrong. Did I hit a little too close to home? Are you upset that someone is finally pointing out everything that's wrong with you lazy cowards?! Are you despairing because you don't have anymore soldiers or stand-ins on standby to come down here and solve all of your problems for you?!"

Jasper sighed. "And all just because you're scared shardless of what might happen if you came back! I mean, at least White Diamond has an excuse! She most likely just forgot that this planet existed once she left it. She's a busy conqueror, she doesn't have time to hide in the dark, afraid of the big, pink boogey-Gem! If she came to this planet for revenge, it would be gone by now. But, as long as you and Blue Diamond are the only ones coming here, this planet is as good a safe. Becuase there's no way Pink Diamond's legacy will be killed off by the two biggest cowards on the Homeworld!"

Fake Yellow Diamond glared up at Jasper. "That's big talk from an easily shattered Quartz..."

Jasper chuckled. "That's big talk for someone not Gem enough to come and do it."

Jasper reached down to her chest and grabbed the spot where she had ripped off her Diamond insignia. In a flash, she reformed it. This time, however, it was a pristine pink diamond rather than a yellow one. Jasper smiled. "I have a function that I must fulfill..."

Fake Yellow Diamond snarled. Jasper summoned her Crash Helmet and bent backwards. "NOW GET OFF MY DIAMOND'S PLANET!"

And then, shooting forward, Jasper smashed her head into the Fake Yellow Diamond's face, shattering her entire body and leaving only the Cubic Zirconium Gem in the center of her chest behind. Jasper reached to the ground and pick up the Gem, glaring down at it and the little yellow energy it had left within it. And then, with one mighty squeeze, she crushed it into pieces.

Jasper grunted and gripped the remains of the Cubic Zirconium in her fist. And then, as she turned and grunted, Jasper was caught off guard by Smoky Quartz's Yo-Yo's wrapping around her and binding her up. Jasper fell to the ground and glared up as Garnet walked up to her.

Garnet adjusted her shades and sighed. "We clearly have some things to discuss..."

 _Back at the Barn..._

Connie sat there, on the couch, utterly amazed. "Wow...that's...honestly pretty cool..."

The human girl reached over to the box and picked up one of the yellow Cubic Zirconium shards. "So...this was just a fake, huh?"

Jasper nodded. "Yeah. A super-charged fake. That thing was the closest you'd get to fighting one of the Diamonds short of actually fighting one of the Diamonds. They're super weapons that the Authority uses on exceptionally troublesome planets when White Diamond's elite are all busy."

Connie nodded. "And you beat it single-handedly..."

Jasper sighed. "Well...it was already pretty low on power. But, I would've come out on top either way. This planet is the right of my late Diamond and that's it. Nothing will threaten this place as long as I remain unshattered..."

Steven smiled and Jasper. "And, of course, because you're starting to love all of us!"

Jasper sourly frowned at Steven. Steven chuckled and playfull punched her arm. "Come on! We're all your friends and you know it! Me, Amethyst, Connie, Sadie, Lars, Lapis, Peridot, and even Uncle Andy!"

Jasper scowled and returned a punch to Steven's arm, sending him flying off the couch. "I only _tolerate most_ of those people. And the only reason I'm even _civil_ with that one obnoxious human is because I'm living in his Barn!"

Jasper quickly stood from the couch. "Okay. Story time over. I'm out. Stabber needs walkies."

Jasper walked towards the barn entrance and, at the same time ironically, Andy came walking in, accompanied by Veggie Head. "Oh, hey ya orange pylon. How ya doin'?"

Jasper grunted. " _Human._ "

Andy called after her. "Hey! Clean up all that Rhino Mess! I nearly landed my plane in it!"

Jasper called back. "You have two hands and a shovel! You do it!"

Steven and Peridot were quick to brush off Jasper's rough demeanor. Peridot immediately rushed to her loving pumpkin pet and grabbed it into a hug. "Hey Veggie Head! Did you enjoy your trip with Uncle Andy?"

While Peridot played with her pet, Steven pulled Connie up and introduced her to Andy. Andy smiled and shook Connie's hand and they began to chat.

However, while all of this was happening, Lapis could only watch on uncomfortably. The others were easily distracted from Jasper's grumpy demeanor, they just considered it the norm. However, Lapis could tell that something was off. Jasper had never been that forward before. She wasn't a story-teller by any means.

Lapis sighed and immediately retreated into her book loft. She needed to think about what she had to do next.

 _Peridot and Lapis's Corn Field..._

Later that night, Lapis flew out to the corn field. She knew that Jasper would be out there, in her special spot. Steven and Connie had left, and Peridot had retreated to play her computer games, so now Lapis was free to clear her thoughts and air out her grievances.

She flew up to Jasper as the Quartz sat there, doing what she usually did when she was alone at night. Jasper sat atop the sleeping Stabber and stared up at the Moon.

The two of them both remained silent. They were aware of one another, but neither had much to say. Four months ago, neither of them would have had it in them to do this. They wouldn't have been able to face one another so readily. Finally, Lapis spoke up. "Jasper...I...uh...I didn't..."

Jasper remained silent, stroking her pet's horn and staring up at the brightly shining full Moon.

Lapis was uncomfortable. She wanted to voice her thoughts. She desperately tried to. But every sentence that she began ended in quiet, unsure mumbling. She swallowed a lump in her throat and whispered to herslef. " _Jasper...I just want to be friends..._ "

Japser perked up. "What? I can't quite hear you..."

Lapis shook her head. "Nothing. It's...it's nothing..."

Jasper sighed. "You wouldn't come all the way out here over nothing. Now, come on, I'm a big Gem Lapis. You can say whatever you need to say and I can take it..."

Lapis glanced down at the ground, focusing on a puddle of water. Brief snippets of thought ran through her head. Memories that had flickered into her mind during the Malachite fiasco. Feelings that weren't hers. Lapis shook her head. "Uh...Connie was telling me about something the other day. It's this big gathering that they have down in Beach City. They call it...uh... _'Beach Fest'_..."

Jasper nodded. "Yeah. Donut Girl mentioned something like that to me a while back..."

Lapis nodded. "Uh-huh. Well...before they left, Connie and Steven asked for us to come. All three of us. They said...we might like it. And...uh...it would be a great way to get out of the Barn..."

Jasper raggedly sighed. "Fine. I'll go. But only to keep Connie and the Rose Spawn from annoying me about it..."

Lapis nodded. "Cool."

The blue Gem began to walk away, but quickly turned heal. "Jasper!"

She stopped, however, upon seeing the genuine look of sadness on Jasper's face. The moonlight shone over her sad frown and her sad eyes and the Ultimate Quartz sighed. "Yes Lapis...?"

Lapis sighed. She couldn't do it. Not right now at least. Jasper didn't need anything else weighing down her thoughts at that moment. Lapis warmly smiled at her. "Don't stay out too late. You never know when a Red Eye might show up..."

Jasper smiled and chuckled. "Yeah yeah. I'll be in in a bit..."

Lapis nodded. "Okay then. Goodnight..."

Jasper turned her attention back to Stabber and the Moon. "Yeah. Goodnight..."

And, with that, Lapis flew away. And then It was just Jasper. All by herself.

The Ultimate Quartz sighed and glanced down at the box sitting in-between her legs. She slowly opened it and pulled out the shards of the Cubic Zirconium. And then, with a heavy sigh, Jasper crushed the shards into powder and threw them into the nighttime breeze.


	38. Chapter 38: Human Customs

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 38: Human Customs**

 _A/N: And so begins the "Beach Fest" arc! I've been looking forward to writing this one, mostly because I love these types of movies! So, I hope this is a great one for all of you. I'm going to put my best into it! :) And, for those who shared their OC's, they'll be in the arc after the next one. ;)_

 _In the middle of the Ocean..._

The waves lapped against the hull of Yellowtail's boat as he pulled his net from the water. The older fisherman meeped and morped to himself as he pulled the net full of fish onto the deck and began to throw them into the hold beneath. It was going to be a good haul! Perfect for feeding everyone at Beach Fest!

Yellowtail tossed his nets back into the water and took a seat into his old, well worn chair. He watched as the buoys attached to his nets bobbed up and down on the water. The fisherman sighed and reached into his rain slicker, pulling out his wallet and smiling at a picture of Onion, Sour Cream, and Vidalia within.

It was a calm, easy night on the sea.

 **THUMP!**

Yellowtail jumped. What was that? He was sure that he had cast anchor in a spot with no rocks large enough to strike the hull. Maybe it was a big fish? Or possibly a confused shark?

Yellowtail glanced over the side of the hull and saw nothing. He shook his head and went to sit back down. He would be fine. He had seen the Goddess of the Sea in his dreams the last time he was home. The brightly shining Goddess, as white as the foam atop the waves. She had come to him, so he was sure that this voyage would go fine.

Yellowtail stared up at the moon and shook his head. It was, however, probably better to be safe than sorry. After this last catch, it would be time to head home.

 **THUMP! THUMP! THUMP!**

Yellowtail's eyes widened. He couldn't just ignore that! Grabbing his harpoon, Yellowtail glanced over the side of the hull once more, expecting to see a shark. He gasped at what he actually saw.

Yellowtail backed away as seafoam green light erupted from the water below. And then everything started going wrong. Yellowtail watched in horror as several of the monstrisities from the depths shot up from the water and blasted through the front of his boat, tearing the entire bow off and letting all of his catches go free.

Yellowtail cried out in terror and quickly ran to the stern, seafoam green light attached firmly to his tail. The entirety of his boat rapidly vanishing behind him, the fisherman didn't have much time. He quickly reached into the large steamer trunk attached to the stern and pulled out an inflatable raft and paddle.

Pulling the release cable, Yellowtail threw the escape raft over the side of the hull and jumped after it, landing in the flimsy rubber vessel and paddling away as fast as he could.

Yellowtail turned back and watched in horror as a monster, far beyond his wildest dreams, breached from the depths and landed atop his ship, capsizing it and sending a huge tidal wave directly at him. The fisherman's pupils shrank to the size of pinpricks as the wall of water rushed towards him, overtaking him and capsizing him into the cold darkness of the ocean.

The eerie seafoam glow faded into the sea as rapidly as it emerged and, after a moment, the yellow escape raft popped back to the surface.

And then all was silent and still.

 _At the Barn..._

Birds chirped and fluttered through the air around the Barn. Everything was peaceful. A light breeze blew through the hot summer morning. The corn swayed in the distance as Stabber and Veggie Head both laid in front of the rhino's encampment, peacefully snuggled up to one another.

On the other side of the field, Andy worked on the engine to rotor to his plane, replacing an older, slightly cracked blade with a new one. He sighed and wiped sweat from his brow. Lapis smiled as she brought him a cup of cool water. "So, are you sure you don't want to stick around for Beach Fest? I'm sure Steven would be happy to see you there..."

Andy shook his head. "Nah. Not really my thing. Big crowds, too much sand, and swimsuits are just so... _revealing_ nowadays! Besides, that Dewey slimeball and his family run that thing. Can't stand _them_..."

Lapis nodded and turned back towards the Barn. "Okay. Well...take care Andy!"

Andy nodded. "Yeah. You too. An' tell that little Veggie Head that I'll take him with me next time. I just don't wanna take a chance of losin' him overseas."

Lapis chuckled. "Understood. Happy flying!"

Andy nodded. "Yeah. And you have a nice day down at the Beach! Tell Steven and Greg and all of the others I say hey!"

As Andy put the final touches onto his plane, Lapis walked back to the Barn, opening the door and finding Peridot and Jasper both waiting on her. The blue Gem smiled. "Okay, you two ready to go? Steven and Connie are waiting on us!"

Peridot smiled and nodded. "Yeah! I've been looking forward to this!"

Jasper rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Let's just get this all over with..."

The three Homeworld Gems all turned and left their Barn home together, ready for the short trek down to the Beach. Jasper groaned and gave both Stabber and Veggie Head a pat as she passed them by. Lapis and Peridot were looking forward to this, but she was quite as thrilled about it.

 _Down at the Beachfront..._

The three Homeworld Gems all stared down at the Beach in awe. The normally vacant patch of sand and water was now bustling and full of life. There were humans as far as the eye could see. And all of them were laughing and joking and having a good time with one another.

Peridot smiled wide. "Wow...this looks COOL!"

Lapis looked slightly uncomfortable. "I wasn't expecting...this many people..."

Jasper was horrfied. "So many humans. This is a _nightmare_..."

The three of them all stood there, wondering what they should do next. Fortunately, they were quickly joined by a few familiar faces. "Hey guys!"

Lapis, Jasper, and Peridot all turned and saw Steven and Connie running towards them. Lapis and Peridot both smiled as Steven grabbed them both into a giant hug. Connie walked up to Jasper and gave a hello fistbump. "I'm glad you came down Jasper! I think you're going to like Beach Fest! There's games and food and a parade!"

Steven nodded. "Yeah. It's awesome! And Connie and I are going to be on my Dad's float together this year!"

Lapis nodded. "Sounds fun! So...do we just jump right into it?"

Steven nodded. "Yeah! Just go down and have fun. It's a big Beach, I'm sure you can find something to do to entertain yourself! And, if you don't want to be alone, you can just stick with Connie and me!"

Peridot smiled. "I'd love to! But...what about Garnet and Amethyst and Pearl? Are they not joining us?"

Steven shook his head. "No, they'll be here in a minute. They just wanted to change."

All three of the Homeworld Gems were confused. Jasper was blunt. "Change into what?"

The Ultimate Quartz was answered by the raucous voice of her "sister". "Nothing much! Just getting into our beach clothes Sis!"

Jasper, Lapis, and Peridot all turned and saw the Crystal Gems approaching them. Except, this time, they looked...different. Rather than her normal outfit, Garnet was dressed in a dark magenta wrap around skirt with a lighter top. Amethyst was wearing a pair of jean shorts, a white tank top, and a fanny pack. And Pearl was wearing a light teal sun dress.

Jasper cocked her head. "You...changed your outer forms? Why...?"

Pearl smiled. "Well, it's a Beach day! Proper human etiquette dictates that when you go to an event like this, you dress the part!"

Garnet nodded. "And we don't get many chances to where these outfits, so we like to bust them out whenever we can."

Lapis frowned. "Oh...I didn't know we were supposed to have a special outfit for this..."

Peridot looked down at her standard green and black jumper. "Yeah. I kinda feel out of place now..."

As Peridot and Lapis appeared to be getting more and more glum, they were suddenly snapped out of their funk by another cheerful voice. "It's okay!"

The Homeworld Gems all turned towards the voice and watched as Sadie, followed by a grumpy Lars, approached them. The Big Donut employee, dressed in a swimsuit/t-shirt combo, happily walked up to Lapis, Peridot, and Jasper. "You guys are new to this sort of thing. It's not a problem that you didn't know how it works!"

Sadie turned and pointed to the nearby T-Shirt Shop. "They sell all sorts of swimsuits and Beach wear in that store over there! Just go and get yourselves something to wear!"

Lapis smiled. "Oh...okay..."

Sadie chuckled and gave Lapis and encouraging pat on the shoulder. "See, it's fine. Don't let little things get you guys down! Just get some new clothes and focus on enjoying your day!"

Lars rolled his eyes. "Jeez. Who doesn't know that you're supposed to wear a swimsuit to the Beach?"

Sadie slugged her co-worker in the arm. "Shush Lars! Let's go find ourselves a place on the sand before all of the good spots are taken!"

Sadie sprinted down onto the Beach, Lars begrudgingly following behind. Pearl turned to Garnet. "We should probably go find a spot too. It's starting to fill up pretty quickly down there..."

Garnet agreed. "Yup. Let's go get a spot."

Amethyst smirked and turned her attention to one of the many food tents down on the Beach. "And I'm off to go and get me some of that food! I'll see you guys down on the Beach!"

Finally, as Amethyst ran, on all fours, towards the food tent, it was down to the Homeworld Gems, Connie, and Steven. Connie smiled at her three friends. "Okay, the others might me gone...but we'll wait for you! Go ahead and go get your new outfits, and then we'll all go down to the Beach together!"

Steven smiled and shot the Homeworld Gems a thumbs up. The three of them nervously nodded and turned to walk towards the T-Shirt Shop. Lapis sighed. "Well...this is different..."

Peridot cocked her head in confusion. "H-how does this work? Do we just the knew clothes on over our regular ones?"

Jasper shook her head. "No. I've shown you how this works before, you just have slightly change your outer form!"

Peridot scowled. "But...I'm not good at that..."

Lapis smiled at her shorter, green comrade. "It's not too drastic of a change, I'm sure you'll be able to do it Peri..."

Peridot sighed. "O-okay...if you think so..."

So, with a bit of hesitation in their steps, the three Homeworld Gems reluctantly went to change their outfits, followed closely behind by Steven and Connie.

 _20 minutes later..._

Steven and Connie were practically sitting on eggshells as they waited for the three Homeworld Gems to emerge from the dressing room in the back. Connie turned to Steven and grinned. "I think they're going to enjoy this. They could use a day out of the Barn that doesn't involve fighting some kind of threat..."

Steven nodded. "Yeah. And...who knows...maybe this'll make Jasper loosen up a little. Maybe she'll actually start to see Earth as more than just... _'Pink Diamond's planet'_..."

Connie sighed. "Let's not get too crazy...Jasper's gonna Jasper no matter what we do..."

Steven nodded. "I guess so..."

After a moment, Connie turned to Steven. "So...I know that Gem's don't change clothes in the typical sense, so what do you think is taking them so long?"

Steven shrugged. "They did take a lot of outfits back there with them...maybe they're just having trouble deciding what to change into. Or...maybe Peridot is having a bit of trouble..."

Connie nodded. "Yeah...Jasper and Lapis told me that she has trouble changing her form at will. I hope she's not having a bad time of it..."

But, suddenly, to Steven and Connie's surprise, a green streak came running out from the dressing rooms. The human and Gem hybrid both gasped as the little, green triangle of a Gem that they knew jumped onto the chair next to them, looking totally different.

Peridot smiled as she motioned to her knew outfit. "Eh? _Eh?!_ "

Connie chuckled. "You look great Peridot!"

Steven smiled and held up his hand for a high five. "Yeah! You look fantastic!"

Peridot blushed and smiled, slightly shying away. "Yeah...well it wasn't all my idea. After I saw what Amethyst did to her hair...I thought I'd do something similar..."

Steven and Connie both flashed encouraging smiles as Peridot stood their in her new Beach Outfit. She had morphed her form from its standard green and black jumpsuit into a green, toddler's singlet swimsuit. A giant yellow star sat proud in the center of her chest just above a dark, smoky gray water skirt. Across both of her arms she wore a thick, dark black water wing. In her left hand she held a diamond-spade sand shovel and in her right she held a star shaped sand bucket. Her normal visor was replaced with a green and black snorkling mask and she had a clear, plastic nose plug across the bridge of her nose. Finally, Peridot's normal "pyramid style" hairstyle had been morphed into two gigantic, poofy pigtails that drooped down the back of her head.

Steven turned his attention back to the dressing rooms. "What about the other two? Are Lapis and Jasper finding everything okay?"

Steven flinched as a gruff voice bluntly answered his question. "I don't need you worrying about how I'm doing _runt_!"

Steven, Connie, and Peridot all watched in awe as Jasper emerged from the back. The change to her outfit was subtle, but it made for all the difference in the world. From her waist up, Jasper still wore the same uniform, A black and burnt orange jumpsuit top with a Pink Diamond insignia positioned over her navel. The shoulders, however, were altered. Instead of the standard cupping sleeves that barely fit over Jasper's massive shoulders, there were now two spaghetti straps holding the outfit together, both secured tightly to her massive chest by small, pink diamond shaped clasps. It was from the waist down were Jasper's outfit had truly changed. The standard jumpsuit bottoms were gone. And, with nothing being put in their place, it gave the illusion that Jasper was wearing a tasteful, one piece swimsuit. On her feet, Jasper wore a pair of stylish beach sandals. A strap weaved inbetween each of her big toes, a pink diamond shaped buckle holding the straps taught around her ankles. And finally, jutting out from her bangs, a small pair of burnt orange, oval-shaped sunglasses sat atop Jasper's head, the sun shining on them a making the lenses gleam.

Connie stared at Jasper with stars in her eyes. "Jasper!"

Jasper flinched back, an orange blush streaking across her cheeks. "What?! Is...something wrong?"

Connie looked Jasper up and down. "You look..."

Jasper shied away from the human girl. "What? I don't look good...?"

Connie shook her head. "No, you-"

Peridot, grinning from ear-to-ear, jumped in front of Connie. " _YOU LOOK AMAZING!_ "

A small smile spread across Jasper's face. "Y-you think so?"

Peridot nodded. "Yeah I do! I'm glad you chose the stuff that Lapis and I picked out for you! Those sun-shielding visors look really cool on you!"

Jasper nodded. "Yeah...I'm glad you picked them out..."

Connie smiled. "Oh, Peridot picked out those sunglasses?"

Jasper nodded. "Yeah, they were the first thing anyone picked out for me to wear..."

Steven was curious. "So...did Peridot pick out that swimsuit for you too?"

Steven was answered by a third and final voice. "Nah. That was my pick!"

Everyone turned back towards the dressing room and all stared in awe as the third and final Homeworld Gem emerged from the back. Lapis took a few trepidacious steps out into view, adjusting her new clothes as she went.

The blue Gem looked up at her friends and flashed them a toothy grin. "So...how do I look?"

Steven, Connie, and especially Jasper were rendered speechless. Peridot, completely unfettered, shot Lapis a compliment. "You look fantastic Lappy!"

Lapis chuckled and looked at herself in the nearby body mirror. "You think so?"

Lapis looked herself up and down in the mirror. Her new outfit was to her liking. She was wearing what Peridot and Jasper thought was the nicest swimsuit in the entire store catalog. It was a ravishing two piece number, all in dark blue. The bikini bottoms sat loosely on her waistline, tied on either of the hips in a secure knot. The upper bikini on her chest, also dark blue, was also securely tied on the back of her neck and in the center of her Gem. Over her swimsuit, Lapis wore a loose, mid-drift bearing t-shirt with the latter half of her name, Lazuli, emblazioned across the front in a neat, cursive writing. Her feet remained bare as they always have, but she did add two seashell anklets on each ankle. Finally, atop her messy head of hair, Lapis had placed a large, floppy, sky blue colored sun hat with a white ribbon wrapped around the brim. All in all, it was a slightly more revealing outfit than she was used to wearing. But, at the same time, she was a Gem. Did her choice of clothes really matter beyond following an Earth custom?

Lapis turned back to her friends. "So...what now? Do we finally look the part?"

Steven smiled and nodded. "Yup. You guys all look great!"

Jasper sighed and rolled her eyes. "Okay then...what now?"

Connie smiled wide. "Well...now we go and enjoy the Beach!"

Steven and Connie both cheered and ran from the store, sprinting towards the hot sands of the beach sprawled out before them. Peridot was far behind the two kids and she was quickly followed by a giggling Lapis.

Jasper groaned and slumped over. "This is gonna _suck_..."

The cashier behind the counter called out to Jasper as she began to leave. "Hey, wait! Aren't you and your friends going to pay for your new outfits?!"

Jasper wanted to turn and yell at the irritating human that they actually hadn't taken any clothing. But, she was already in a bad mood, so she chose to be much more blunt. Without even looking in his driection, Jasper shot the cashier an answer. "No. _Do something about it._ "

And then, with another huge, annoyed sigh, Jasper was off to the Beach.


	39. Chapter 39: Beach City Beach-Fest

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 39: Beach City Beach Fest!**

 _A/N: And we're back! This should be the last big break for a good while. I'm healthy. My family is healthy. Everything is great. So, I hope everyone had a good Christmas (or Hanukkah or what have you) and I hope everyone enjoys the continuation of Connie and the B-Team!_

 _Beach City Funland..._

Peridot, Steven, and Connie were all having fun as they walked up the pier towards Beach City Funland. Connie smiled over at Peridot. "That swimsuit really does look good Peri!"

Peridot lifted her shovel and bucket up, using the shovel to push the snorkeling tube out of her face. "I hope so. I only picked this one because a human equivalent to my size was wearing it in the catalog we were going off of..."

Steven chuckled. "It looks fine. I think the water wings are cool!"

Peridot shrugged. "If you say so! So...why are we going to Funland again? I thought the point of Beach Fest was supposed to be the _Beach_!"

Steven nodded. "Yeah, it is. But, when I was here the other day Mr. Smiley seemed a bit freaked out. I wanted to check on him..."

Connie nodded. "That seems like a good thing to do. Maybe we can help him out if something is wrong."

The three of them continued down the pier until they reached Funland. Steven and Connie both looked around, hoping to find the owner of the amusement park to check on him. After a few moments, they finally caught sight of him. Steven chuckled and called out. "Hey! Mr. Smiley!"

Mr. Smiley turned and saw the three kids running up to him. He rolled his eyes and continued his work of hanging a sign in front of the House of Mirrors. Steven and Connie both came to a stop at the House of Mirrors entrance. Steven smiled. "Hey Mr. Smiley! How are you today?"

Mr. Smiley shook his head and waved Steven off. "Not now Steven! I'm busy trying to get this sign up! I want to make as much money off of this thing while I still can!"

Steven frowned. Connie was confused. "What do you mean? Is something wrong with the House of Mirrors?"

Mr. Smiley nodded and frowned, sniffling and wiping a tear from his eye. "I'm afraid so children! Today..."

His voice hitched in his throat. "...Today is the last day that the Hall of Mirrors will be open in Beach City Funland!"

Steven gasped. " _WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!_ "

Connie gasped. "B-but why?!"

Peridot remained straightfaced. "I don't care..."

Mr. Smiley's lower lip quivered. He leaned forward and grabbed all three children into a hug. "I'm so sorry children! I know, I just know, that you look forward to coming here every week and giving Mr. Smiley your money! And you can still do that!"

He turned from them, his eyes glassy, and sadly glanced up at the "last day of business" sign over the House of Mirrors. "But ol' Mr. Smiley just can't bring himself to go in there to take care of the place anymore! I just...can't..."

Steven was in tears. "But...why Mr. Smiley?! Connie and I could take care of the House of Mirrors for you! There's no reason to get rid of it!"

Connie nodded. "Yeah! No reason to do anything crazy!"

Mr. Smiley shook his head. "Nope. No can do! It has to go! You can't just ignore gut feelings about things, especially when they come in dreams!"

Connie cocked her head. "What do you mean?"

Mr. Smiley took a deep breath. "I..had a dream a couple weeks ago. I was in the House of Mirrors and...and..."

Steven was on the edge of his seat. "And?!"

Mr. Smiley shouted out. "And I was being chased by a ghost! A horrible, bone white specter! It chased me all throughout the House of Mirrors! It's eyes glaring a hole through me! I haven't been able to work up the nerve to go in the House of Mirrors since!"

Steven frowned. "Oh...Mr. Smiley...maybe I can help you..."

Mr. Smiley shook his head. "No. No...this is how it has to be. If I can't go in there to fix the place up...then it just has to go..."

Mr. Smiley turned to Steven, and then to Connie, taking each of their hands and squeezing them tight. "But it's okay. We'll...we'll make it through this. Together!"

Steven and Connie both nodded and bowed their heads in respect of the fallen theme park attraction. As they and Mr. Smiley had their moment of silence, Peridot stood by, looking confused and bored. "Uh...can we go the _Beach_ now?!"

 _On the Beach, In the Beach Feast Tent..._

Barb and Vidalia both walked down the buffet line, filling their plates full of delicious Beach Fest food. Vidalia picked up the tongs and grabbed a few scoops of fried shrimp. "I mean...I know that he's a great fisherman and all, and that he can sail with the best of 'em, but I'm just...worried this time, ya know?"

Barb got a spoonful of macaroni and cheese and dumped it onto her plate. "It's okay to worry. About people that you love! Don't be silly!"

Vidalia nodded. "I know that I'm probably just being paranoid-"

Amethyst quickly darted between Vidalia and Barb, grabbing and entire tray of meatloaf and a decorative candle. " _Scuse me!_ "

Vidalia glared after Amethyst. " _HEY!_ Get back here with that! I wanted some meatloaf!"

The chef behind the table quickly remedied the situation. "It's okay miss! We're used to her taking entire trays of food at this point!"

He quickly produced a new tray of meatloaf. "Here you are! Please enjoy!"

Vidalia smiled and nodded. "Thanks!"

Barb smiled and nodded at the chef. Then, she turned to Vidalia. "But, you were saying?"

Vidalia shook her head. "I'm just being paranoid! Yellowtail's just late because he wanted to catch enough fish for the fish-fry tomorrow. He told me this might happen..."

Barb smiled. "Uh-huh. But, that doesn't mean your wrong to be worried. You love him Vi. You shouldn't feel bad about being concerned for him."

Vidalia sighed. "But...he _assured_ me that he'd be fine. He was extra sure this time around. He told me...uh...what was it? Oh yeah! He told me that he saw it in his dreams that he'd be alright!"

Barb cocked her head. "What?"

Vidalia smiled and nodded. "Yeah! He told that he saw... _the Goddess of the Moon_...or something...in his dreams. He told me that as long as the bright white light of the moon is shining on him, he'll be just fine!"

Barb looked confused. Vidalia sighed. "It's...an old fisherman thing. He was sure that it meant he'd have good luck..."

Barb frowned. She could hear the growing concern in Vidalia's voice. Thinking quick, the mailwoman turned to her daughter standing to her right. "Well, if he has a Goddess behind him, he'll be just fine! Right Sadie?"

Sadie appeared to be deep in thought, eyeing a tray of powdered donut holes. Barb nudged her daughter. " _Sadie..._ "

Sadie flinched. "Huh...?"

The mailwoman subtlely motioned towards Vidalia. "Vidalia's husband told her that he saw a Moon Goddess in his dreams. And that the white light of the moon would protect him! That's reassuring, right?"

Sadie shrugged. "I...I don't know. To be honest...the color white is kinda freaking me out lately. To many bad dreams about the Big Donut and stuff..."

Sadie shivered. "Ugh... _so much flour..._ "

Vidalia cocked and eyebrow as she cut a big slice of carrot cake for herself. "I think you've been working too hard!"

Sadie nodded in agreement. "Yeah. You're probably right. I think I'm going to go take my food and go eat with Lars. Catch up with you later?"

Barb sighed. "Okay. See ya later kiddo!"

Sadie smiled and nodded and then, taking her plate with her, she was off to the Beach, her shimmering metal anklet clattering against her heel all the way.

 _On the Beach, Near the Lifeguard Tower..._

Jasper sighed as she sat in the sand, her back leaning against the lifeguard tower. The Gem reached down to the crushed rock granules, picking up a handful and letting it cascade through her fingers. The orange Quartz looked out at the rabble of humans enjoying themselves on the Beach, cheering and laughing, and threw her head back.

Jasper sighed and groaned. "This is the _worst_..."

As she sat there, hating her existence, Jasper glared out across the beach and saw two humans engaging in lip-to-lip contact with one another, laughing and snapping pictures with their communication devices. " _Gross._..but _intriguing_..."

Jasper sighed again and pulled her new sunglasses over her eyes. "What am I even doing here? I could be playing with Stabber...or watching TV right now..."

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Jasper, she herself was being spied on, from a distance, by the peak of _human grossness_. His eyes looked her up and down like a piece of meat. His smile glimmered as sweat from his overly styled hair ran down his well developed chest. He turned to one of his posse and nudged him. "Hey, Ronnie!"

Ronnie turned to him. "Sup Kev?"

Kevin's face twisted into a sleazy smile as his gaze locked onto Jasper. "Methinks I've found a big, beautiful _mama sita_ ready to take a spin on _the Kevin_!"

Ronnie cocked his head. " _Her?_ "

Kevin smiled and nodded, pulling down his sunglasses and rubbing tanning oil on his upper arms. "Oh yeah! Her! _Time for me to put on the Kevin charm..._ "

Jasper sighed. She was about over her bad mood. A few more minutes of skulking and then she could go and try to have a good time with Lapis or Peridot. The Quartz sat back up, ruffling her hair. The water was calm and the sun was shining. Maybe...today wouldn't be so bad after all?

" _He~lloooo~beee~yoootiful!_ "

Jasper flinched as, out of nowhere, some random human crashed into the sand next to her. Before she could back away, he quickly snaked his arm over her shoulder and shot her a wide grin. "I can't believe an angel like you is all alone on the Beach! How about you let Kevin show you a good time this Beach Fest?!"

Jasper sneered at Kevin as he obliviously continued to hit on her. "You know, mama sita, I saw this in a dream! A beautiful, shining gem dazzling in the summer sun! I knew that I'd meet you today!"

Jasper was already feeling hot under the collar. "Stop."

Kevin smiled. "But I can't girl! Cuz it's all true! You and me were meant to get together! It's fate!"

Jasper was more blunt. " _Stop._ "

Kevin shook his head. "I can't! Cuz when the Kevin sees a big, tall, bathing beauty just waiting for things to go down...why I just can't help myself!"

Jasper was seething. " _Three..._ "

Kevin smiled. "What was that beautiful?"

Jasper was practically breathing fire. " _Two..._ "

Kevin nodded. "Yup. Just the two of us together!"

Jasper clenched her fists. " _One..._ "

Kevin nodded. "Together as one!"

Across the beach, two toddlers were having fun building a sand castle together. Their parents stared on, huge smiles on their faces as their kids played on the Beach. And then, all of a sudden, an oiled up twenty-something young man came sailing through the air, crashing into the childrens sandcastle and tumbling all the way across the Beach and into the ocean.

As the family ran to help the boy, who was struggling to escape five inches of water, his assailant quickly made her way towards the edge of the Beach.

Jasper was fuming as she stomped towards the underside of the pier. " _I can't deal with this today..._ "

 _In the middle of the Beach..._

Garnet and Pearl both sat and chuckled with one another under the sizzling summer sun. They both straightened their Beach Outfits as they sat on their towel, Pearl quickly pitching the umbrella. The elegant Gem sighed as she stared out at the ocean. "You don't think we should have invited Bismuth?"

Garnet shook her head and adjusted her sunglasses. "Nah. Bismuth still hasn't quite adjusted to her 5000 year time skip yet..."

The Fusion sighed. "I foresaw nothing but destruction, confusion, and chaos if we were to invite her to come right now..."

Pearl glanced away from Garnet. "But...we let Jasper come..."

Garnet sadly sighed. "Jasper fully trusts the people she has here to support her...I don't think Bismuth could say the same..."

Pearl shook her head. "When we have a moment, we should-"

Pearl was suddenly interrupted. "Excuse me!"

Garnet and Pearl both looked up and saw none other than Sour Cream staring down at them, a wide smile spread across his face. Garnet smiled back. "Yes?"

Sour Cream handed them each a flyer. "I'm just handing out flyers for my latest set. I call it..."

Sour Cream pulled his goggles down over his eyes. "...The Synesthesia Rave Set!"

Garnet and Pearl both silently chuckled to themselves as Sour Cream began to explain his vision. "I had a dream! A dream of a shining, white light!"

As Sour Cream continued to expand upon his new inspiration, Jenny and Buck Dewey both came up, handing the two Gems glowsticks and t-shirts. Jenny smiled and winked at Garnet and Pearl. "Don't snap 'em until the show tomorrow!"

Sour Cream took a deep breath. "...but, anyway, I just wanted to make music that anyone could rave to, even you Gems!"

Pearl smiled and nodded. "Well, we definitely appreciate the thought!"

Garnet nodded. "And we'll make sure to try our best to attend."

Sour Cream smiled and nodded at them both. "Thank you! I can't wait to see you there!"

And then, with a skip in their steps, the Cool Kids were all off, handing out flyers, t-shirts, and glowsticks to the next group of people. Garnet chuckled and quickly slid on her new t-shirt. Pearl was trepidacious. "I mean...we _appreciate_ the offer at least..."

Garnet shook her head. "Lighten up. It's a good day Pearl. No monster attacks, no Homeworld issues, no blemishes that I can foresee in my Future Vision..."

Garnet smiled and raised her fist at Pearl. Pearl smiled back and returned the fist bump. "I suppose you're right...but we don't have to go to that concert, _do we_?"

Garnet chuckled. "Well, on the subject of my Future Vision...I just saw something that'll make you want to go to that concert."

Pearl cocked her head, clearly confused. "And what would that be?"

Pearl was quickly answered by a large pair of arms wrapping around her from behind and a familiar pair of lips pressing against her cheek. She turned and, to her surprise, she saw her pink-haired friend. The young woman smiled and winked. "So, P, I heard there's going to be a concert on the Beach tomorrow..."

As Pearl stuttered, looking for some kind of response, Garnet merely laughed. It was going to be a good day, as far as she could foresee.

 _On the Beach, Under the Drink Cabana..._

Lapis Lazuli sat under the shade of the cabana, her hat tightly pulled over her head, a fruity pineapple drink in hand. She smiled and sighed, looking out over the sparkling ocean. She was having a good day. Lapis sipped at her drink and turned to her surprising companion for the day. "What kind of juice is this?"

Keke Pizza shrugged and sipped her drink. "I...think it might be fruit punch. Whatever it is, it's pretty good though!"

Lapis chuckled. "Agreed. Cheers!"

Keke nodded and held up her pineapple, bumping it against Lapis's and finishing it off. "So, how did you guys like the pizza I brought you last time?"

Lapis shrugged. "It was interesting..."

She sipped her drink. "The salty little fish tasted a bit...off...with the chunks of pineapple."

Keke rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but Dad insisted that I bring you that one. Amethyst likes it, so he was going to add it to the menu if you liked it too..."

Lapis sighed. "Jasper liked it. But...I think Quartzes might just have weird taste..."

Keke nodded. "Yeah. I'd say that's pretty-"

Suddenly, Keke was interrupted by a surprise announcement. "Excuse me! Excuse me everyone!"

Everybody in the cabana fell silent. They all turned to see a man in a blue t-shirt standing next to a women in a purple dress. Acting quickly, the man turned to the women and smiled at her. "Anita. We've been going steady with one another for quite a while now. And...well...I was trying to think of a way to ask this for a while now. But, a couple weeks ago, when we arrived here for vacation...it came to me in a dream. I saw the most beautiful diamond I've ever seen and knew that I had to ask you this..."

The man fell to one knee and pulled a small box out of his shorts pocket. "Anita...will you marry me?"

The woman smiled, bursting into tears and grabbing the guy into a giant hug. "Oh Josh! Of course I will!"

The entire cabana erupted into cheering and applause as the two of them embraced and kissed one another. Keke applauded and cheered in approval as Lapis merely went along with what everyone else was doing.

After the commotion died down, Lapis turned to Keke and whispered to her. "Uh...what was that about?"

Keke sipped her new drink. "C'mon Lapis, you have to know what marriage proposal is...you read a ton of books, right?"

Lapis cocked her head. "Huh...? I...I think that I've read something like that before..."

Lapis thought hard. "Yeah..when humans love one another they give one another a metal ring to signify wanting to form some kind of bond, right?"

Keke nodded. "Uh-huh."

Lapis tapped her chin. "And, uh, they seal the deal with...lip-to-lip contact, right?"

Keke chuckled. "That's probably the most scientific way I've ever heard someone describe a marriage. Don't you Gems have anything like that on your home planet?"

Lapis shrugged. "Not really. Love isn't one of Homeworld's top priorities. The Diamond's don't care for it. And they certainly don't want another Dragons Breath situation on their hands..."

Keke cocked her head. "Dragon's Breath?"

Lapis sighed and shook her head. "It's nothing. Just...a sad story."

Keke nodded. "Oh, okay."

She pulled out her phone to check the time. "Well, I gotta get going Lapis. You enjoy the rest of your day, okay?"

Lapis nodded. "I plan to. But, where are you going?"

Keke pointed towards Fish Stew Pizza. "Dad needs help getting all the pizza ready for the big pizza feast tonight. There'll be a ton of different kinds of pizza to try tonight, maybe you'll find something new to order next time around!"

Lapis smiled and nodded in agreement. "Maybe I will. Later Keke!"

Keke smiled and waved goodbye. "Later!"

And thus, Lapis was alone. She turned around in her seat and motioned for the guy behind the counter to bring her another drink. As she graciously accepted the new pineapple, Lapis took a hefty sip and sighed. "Great. Now I'm alone again..."

Outside the Drink Cabana, unbeknownst to Lapis, a greedy pair of eyes were looking her up and down from behind. These eyes gazed over her like a glittering trophy, hungry to attain some sort of satisfaction today.

Kevin turned to his posse and shot them a toothy grin. "Last time was just a fluke boys! This time...this blue beauty is going to see the beauty of the Kevin!"

Ronnie gave Kevin a heavy slap on the shoulder. "Go get 'er Kev! That last girl doesn't know what she's missing out on!"

And then, with a strut in his step, Kevin began marching his way towards the Drink Cabana.

Lapis smiled as she held a light conversation with the guy behind the counter. "Wow...can't believe that I've run into another person so into old books!"

As he chopped limes, the guy behind the counter chuckled. "What can I say? College and stuff. It's kinda forced me to be a fan of old books! But, at least it gave me an excuse to make a new friend!"

Lapis nodded. "Yeah. It's nice to make friends!"

Suddenly, a voice called out to the blue Gem. "I was hoping we could be more than friends!"

Lapis flinched. She swiveled in her seat a turned to see some strange human standing right behind her. Right in her personal space. Like a snake, he quickly slinked into the seat next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "So...you feel lucky today beautiful?"

Lapis grimaced. She quickly removed the human's arm fromher shoulder and shook her head at him. "Sorry..."

The human smiled. "Kevin."

Lapis sneered. "Sorry, Kevin, not interested. So, please, leave me be!"

Kevin shook his head. "Sorry beautiful! You must just be confused! You may not know it yet..."

Kevin got right in her face. "But a beautiful lady like you needs Kevin in her life to make it less blue..."

Lapis tried to back away, but she was caught between Kevin and the counter behind her. She didn't want this day to go bad, losing her cool was more of a Jasper thing to do. Calmly, Lapis breathed and pleaded with him. "Come on. I'm just trying to enjoy my day..."

Kevin smiled and got even closer. "And I'm just trying to make it better..."

 _On the Beach, Outside the Drink Cabana..._

Jasper sighed as she made her way across the Beach to the Drink Cabana. She wanted to try to have a better day. What had happened before was just a fluke. And now, now that that moment had passed and she had taken a minute to cool off, she was ready to try and have a bit of fun.

So, now, she was off trying to find Lapis or Peridot. Jasper sighed. "Okay...not to late to salvage today. I just have to find Lapis or Peridot and-"

Jasper stopped dead in her tracks as she caught sight of what was happening in the Drink Cabana. Under the Cabana was a sight that normally would have made her smile, Lapis. But, encroaching upon her, violating her personal space, was another familiar face. And, if Jasper had blood, it would be boiling at the sight of him.

Meanwhile, in the cabana, Lapis was getting nearer and nearer to her limit. She didn't want to lose her cool, but her patience was running thin. He was touching her. His arm was wrapped around her shoulder and he refused to back off. She was gripping her pineapple drink so hard that her knuckles were turning white.

The guy behind the counter, having been watching this sorry display for the past few minutes, finally spoke up. "Hey, guy, come on! Back off!"

Kevin glared at him. "Shut up. Can't you see that I'm working my charm?!"

Lapis glanced over at the guy behind the counter. He glanced back at her. Lapis sighed. She couldn't take it anymore. Her eyes went blank and, with a flick of her wrist, she was gathering a ball of water to smash the guy with.

However, the water proved to be unnecessary. Right as Lapis was about to blow on Kevin, her savior came swooping down, out of nowhere, and pulled her out of her tight spot. "What do you think you're doing touching _my Lapis_?!"

Lapis, Kevin, and the guy behind the counter all turned to see none other than Jasper storming into the cabana. Before anyone could say anything, Jasper grabbed Lapis out of Kevin's grip and pulled her into another seat behind her.

Kevin and Lapis both gasped in confusion. " _Your Lapis?!_ "

Jasper grabbed Kevin by his arm and hefted him into the air. "My _friend_ Lapis clearly has no interest in whatever it is you're offering! _SO GET LOST!_ "

Kevin sneered and flinched back. Quickly, he glanced back at his posse, all of them staring directly at him. He couldn't allow himself to be embarassed in front of his boys! Kevin swallowed a lump in his throat. And then, he turned back around, puffed up his chest, and marched up to Jasper, glaring right into her eye. "Make me!"

Jasper's eyes widened. Lapis sighed and buried her eyes in her hand. And then, as Jasper "made" Kevin, Lapis turned to her new friend. "Would you please make a drink for my friend Jasper? I get the feeling she's going to want something to drink when she's done..."

The guy behind the counter quickly began to cut a fresh pineapple. "Yeah, she looks like she's-"

 **CRASH! CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!**

The guy poured a hefty ladle of fruit punch into the fruit. "... _pretty aggressive_..."

Lapis nodded and adjusted her hat. "Yup. That's Jasper..."

As Kevin ran away, a trash can tightly shoved over his head, Jasper came striding back to the counter and planted herself in the seat next to Lapis. "Well, that was fun. Yo, drink guy-"

The guy behind the counter smiled and handed Jasper a pineapple drink. "Please enjoy ma'am!"

Jasper was surprised. "Oh...thanks!"

Jasper sipped her drink and Lapis, after a moment, began to chuckle to herself. Jasper turned to Lapis. "What's up? Something funny?"

Lapis shot Jasper a side-eyed glance. " _Your Lapis_ , huh?"

Jasper blushed and nearly choked on her drink. "Yeah...my _friend_ Lapis!"

Lapis giggled. "That wasn't what you said. Don't think I didn't hear that slip of the tongue!"

Jasper squirmed in her seat. "I...uh...come on, you know what I..."

Lapis smiled and shook her head, grabbing Jasper's sunglasses off of her face and quickly replacing them with her sun hat. "I'm just messing with you Jasper. Lighten up!"

The blue Gem held up her drink. "You helped me out of a tight spot and now, thanks to that, I can enjoy the rest of my day! So, thank you Jasper! Cheers!"

Jasper stared on, confused, as Lapis held up her pineapple drink. Lapis sighed. "You're supposed to tap your pineapple against mine. Come on Jasper!"

Jasper nodded. "O-okay. Cheers..."

Jasper smashed her pineapple into Lapis's and Lapis nodded. "To a good day at the Beach!"

Jasper nodded. "Yeah, to a good day at the Beach..."

 _Later in the day..._

After Jasper had banished Kevin and his posse from the Beach, the rest of the day had been going pretty well. Peridot, Connie, and Steven had all settled closer to the water and, with the help of Peridot's bucket and shovel, they had built a pretty nice sandcastle.

Amethyst had sat down and begun to chat and joke around with Vidalia and Barb.

Garnet and Pearl, alongside Pearl's friend, had all taken up a nice spot under the sun and laid there, chatting with one another, while Pearl's friend worked on her tan.

Jasper and Lapis had settled into having a good time. They and Lapis's new friend had all taken up their time with watching the Cool Kids playing frisbee with one another.

Even out in the water, everything was going fine. Kids were splashing and playing with each other and teens were having a blast swimming around in the deeper parts of the ocean, especially Lars and Sadie. The two Big Donut employees swam around in the deeper water, splashing each other and joking around.

Lars swam farther out, towards a nearby coral reef. "HEY! SADIE! WATCH THIS!"

Sadie watched as Lars went under and quickly came back up with a handful of shells. She swam over to him and he dumped the sandy blob into her hands. She sifted for a moment before finding a beautiful, red scallop shell. "Wow! It's beautiful Lars!"

Lars chuckled. "Yeah it is. I wonder what else I can find-"

Suddenly, without warning, Lars went under the water. A few bubbles of breath rose to the surface, but then nothing. Sadie's eyes widened. "Lars! LARS!"

Sadie reached down into the water, feeling for her friend. "Oh no! No! _LARS!_ "

Sadie ducked her head under the water, hoping to see her friend. But, after a quick look under the waves, she saw nothing. Sadie pulled her head out of the water and took a deep breath before starting to swim back to shore. She had to get a lifeguard...or Lapis! She needed help!

But, suddenly, to her shock, the water erupted in front of her and, after the water crashed back down, the wet form of Lars floated in front of her.

Lars smirked a Sadie, a wide, jerkish grin spread across his face. "Hah! Gotcha!"

A blush of embarassment and rage spread across Sadie's face. Without thinking, she rocketed forward and shove Lars as hard as she could. "That's not funny, jerk! I thought something pulled you under! I was about to go and bother Steven's friend Lapis to come out here and help look for you!"

Lars held up his hands in defense. "Whoa! Whoa! It was just a joke Sadie!"

Sadie shook her head. "That's not a joke dude! I thought you were drow-"

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Sadie quickly went under the wave. A few bubbles of breath rose to the surface, and then all was still. Lars rolled his eyes. "Oh _come on_ Sadie! You really think I'm going to fall for the same joke I just pulled?"

Lars waited a full minute and got no response. "...Sadie?"

Another minute passed and then, to Lars's surprise, Sadie came erupting out of the water. A look of terror and pain was streaked across her face as she tried to choke the heavy amounts of water out of her throat. " _HELP ME! SOMETHING HAS MY ANKLE!_ "

Lars flinched back. "What?! Sadie?!"

Sadie glanced over at Lars, pleadingly reaching out to him. " _LARS!_ "

And then, she was pulled under once more. Lars was terrified but, after taking a moment to breath, he dove under after Sadie. But, unfortunately, Lars's attempted heroics didn't last long. Soon enough, he came flying out of the water, like a giant bottle rocket, and was thrown all the way back to the Beach.

Lars hit the sand hard and coughed in pain. Everyone, from the gathered humans to the Gems all ran up to Lars and watched him writhe in pain. Shakily, the angsty teen pushed himself up and glanced around, looking for help.

After a moment, he finally spotted Lapis. Lars crawled over to the blue Gem and grasped her hand. "Something out there is attacking Sadie! Please! _Help her_!"

Lapis glanced up from Lars and out to the ocean, seeing a faint splashing in the distance. Lapis scowled. She looked down at Lars and nodded and then ran out to the edge of the water. Her eyes going blank, Lapis held her hand aloft and started trying to pull at the water.

Initially, she was met with success. It didn't take any effort to pull Sadie's head above water. And her entire body and most of her legs came just as easily. However, when it came to her feet, Lapis realized that this wasn't going to be easy. Something was stopping her, fighting against her, holding Sadie by her ankle and not letting go.

Lapis grabbed her forearm with her other hand and began to pull. She was trying her hardest. She was even straining herself, but whatever was holding Sadie's ankle was...stronger than her. How?! How was that possible?!

Jasper ran up to Lapis. "Hey! What's going on?! Why haven't you pulled her back yet?!"

Lapis spoke through gritted teeth. "Something's-"

Lapis's hand jerked down and Sadie went back down along with it. Her head was barely clearing the water. "Something's fighting me! It's taking everything I have to hold her head above water..."

Jasper sneered. " _So just pull harder!_ "

Lapis glared at Jasper. " _If I do that I'll pull her leg off!_ "

After another moment, Steven, Connie, Peridot, and the Crystal Gems all came forth. Steven looked terrified as he stared out at Sadie struggling to not drown. "Lapis! What's going on?!"

Lapis didn't answer. Sweat poured down her face as she struggled against whatever she was fighting with. She turned to Steven and saw the terror-filled look on his face and she got her second wind. With a grunt and a mighty roar, Lapis pulled her arm as hard as she could and, with a pop, Sadie came rocketing out of the water.

Lapis fell back and landed flat on her butt, barely managing to motion for Jasper to jump up and catch the falling human.

Jasper landed, Sadie in hand, and placed the injured human on the ground. Her ankles was torn apart. Barb quickly pushed her way through the crowd and began to tend to her daughter. Across the Beach, Lars's parents were already calling an ambulance for their injured son.

The Gems, Steven, and Connie all rushed over to Jasper and Sadie to see what had happened. All of them except for Lapis and Peridot.

Peridot was trying to help Lapis to her feet, but Lapis was exhausted. The blue Gem opted to stay sat on the ground while she tried to catch her breath. She glared out at the ocean and, as the water bobbed back into complete stillness, for just a moment, a bright seafoam green light shone out from under the waves.

As the humans on the Beach behind her panicked and screamed, all Lapis could do was flinch back. " _What was that?!_ "


	40. Chapter 40: My Element

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 40: My Element**

All of the joviality the had once filled the Beach had been drained away. All the fun and excitement of Beach Fest had been replaced with a feeling of pure dread. The piercing sounds of the ambulance sirens got more and more distant from the Beach as Lars and Sadie were ferried away to the emergency room: Lars for his back, Sadie for her ankle.

In the background, the remaining humans all stood about and rabbled to one another, awaiting an official announcement of what would be happening next.

While they went about their business, the Crystal Gems and the B-Team stood off on their own, trying to make sense of what had just happened. All of them stared out at the ocean with discerning looks on their faces. All of them except Connie, who was on the phone with her mother, and Lapis, who appeared to be genuinely haunted by what had just happened.

Jasper snorted and turned to Garnet. "So, does that _Future Vision_ of yours feel like working now?"

Garnet placed her hand on her forehead. "I'm...seeing something vague. But...it's so cloudy..."

Jasper rolled her eyes. "Maybe your Sapphire is defective."

Garnet sneered, her voice becoming slightly more aggressive. " _Shut your mouth!_ "

Jasper raised an eyebrow. "Oh, did I poke the Ruby's nerve?"

Pearl was quick to defuse the situation. "Please don't start any sort of fight with one another! We need to stand united against...whatever that is out there..."

Amethyst nodded in agreement. Her face was stone serious. "Whatever that was outwrestled Lapis. _In the water!_ It might be tougher than any Gem Monster we've faced so far...'cept for maybe _the Slinker_..."

Peridot, looking very irritated, turned and immediately shushed Amethyst. "Amethyst! Shush!"

The little green Gem turned back to Lapis and began to relaxingly massage her friend's shoulders. "It's okay Lapis. It just caught you off guard..."

Steven smiled and sat next to her. "Yeah. You did your best! Everything...is..."

Steven turned his gaze towards Lapis's face and caught sight of the thousand-yard stare that Lapis was shooting the ocean. He quickly quieted down and gently grabbed Lapis's hand. Her fingers hung limp in his grip, as if she hadn't registered that he had grabbed onto her hand.

Jasper, blowing off Garnet, slowly walked over to Lapis. The brutish Quartz knelt down and got a good look at her comrades face. She recognized that look. Total defeat. That was what was currently spread across Lapis's face, total defeat. Jasper leaned close to Lapis and whispered into her ear. In a voice so tiny, so tiny that no one thought Jasper capable of producing it, she whispered something in Lapis's ear. And then, she returned Lapis's sun hat to the top of her head, grabbing Peridot and Steven, and ushered them away.

As Peridot and Steven both question what she was doing, Jasper turned back to see the sad sight of Lapis pulling her sun hat over her face, trembling like a leaf in the wind.

Amethyst looked worried as Jasper plopped Steven and Peridot onto the sand. "Is...is Lapis going to be okay?"

Jasper shrugged. "I don't know. That was a pretty heavy hit to her confidence just now."

Pearl sighed. "Well, we've all had those hits to our confidence. She'll be fine soon..."

Jasper turned back to her upset friend and shook her head. "I don't know if that's how this will work this time around...this isn't some sort of emotional thing..."

Pearl cocked her head. "What...?"

Jasper frowned. "This is less about emotions and more about pride. I've learned since I've started living on this planet that friendship can help you when your feelings are hurt. However, when your confidence takes a hit...like as bad of a hit as Lapis's confidence just did...that's not something that people can just talk you through..."

Steven sadly stared over at Lapis. "Her confidence is hurt?"

Jasper sneered at the Gem hybrid. "Of course it is! She just lost in _her element_! This planet is seventy percent water! Lapis Lazuli's should be _all powerful_ here! And yet..."

Jasper glared at the ocean. "Something down there overpowered her! Something in that ocean out-muscled her hydrokinesis. That's...a pretty crushing blow..."

Before the conversation could continue any further, Connie rejoined the rest of the group. Putting her phone back into her day bag, she sighed out. "My Mom worries too much sometimes..."

Garnet turned to Connie. "Is she upset with you?"

Connie shook her head. "No. The paramedics just called ahead and told her that there was an accident here on the Beach. She was worried that it might have been me."

Connie looked past Garnet and saw Lapis, sitting all on her lonesome. "Is Lapis okay?"

Steven shook his head. "No. Jasper says her pride is hurt..."

Connie frowned. "But why? She might've had a bit of trouble, but she still managed to pull Sadie away from that thing. So why is her pride hurt?"

Peridot nervously scratched at the back of her head. "I assume it's because-"

Peridot was quickly, violently interrupted. "BECAUSE _I_ DIDN'T SAVE HER!"

Everyone flinched at Lapis's sudden outburst. They all turned to see the piteous sight on her kneeling there, in the sand, with tears streaming down her cheeks. She roughly wiped the tears from her face and glanced away from her group of friends. "I...wasn't strong enough. Whatever was down there...it _let go_ of Sadie. I didn't pull her free, it _lost interest_ in her. If it wasn't for that...I would've lost my grip..."

Connie frowned. "Lapis..."

Lapis held up a staying hand. "...if it hadn't have decided to let her go...Sadie would be _gone_. I wasn't strong enough to save her on my own..."

Lapis cupped her hand over her eyes. The rest of the Gems stood there and watched as she sobbed and the tears streamed down her cheeks. Steven opened his mouth to say something, but he couldn't make whatever it was supposed to be come out. Lapis's voice fell quiet. " _...I'm supposed to be one of the most powerful beings on the planet...but first Yellow Diamond, and now this..._ "

Jasper took and deep breath and sighed. "Lapis...if you're going to let this be what defeats you...then so be it. Sit there and pity yourself. Peridot, Connie, and I will stop whatever is out there..."

Lapis glanced up at Jasper as the orange Quartz began to walk away, dragging Connie and Peridot with her. "Jasper..."

Jasper glared at her. "You heard me when I spoke to you earlier, right?"

Lapis flinched. Jasper sneered at her. "That's what I thought. Now take my advice or _shut up_!"

Lapis stared at Jasper for a moment. And then, she glanced away towards the ocean once more. Jasper rolled her eyes and tugged on Connie and Peridot. "C'mon! We have a monster to catch!"

Peridot was hesitant. "What are we going to do _on the ocean_ without Lapis?!"

Jasper responded. "We'll take a boat!"

Connie cocked her head. "Where are we going to get a boat?"

Jasper growled under her breath. " _We'll steal one if we have to..._ "

Pearl interjected. "Hold it!"

Jasper stopped in her tracks and glared at Pearl. Pearl stomped right up to the Quartz. "What about us?! Garnet, Amethyst, Steven, and I can handle this! You don't need to drag Peridot and Connie into it!"

Jasper was dismissive. "Oh, you're going to handle it? _Like you handled Bridget?_ "

Pearl blushed in embarassment. Garnet quickly joined the conversation. "We should work together! No need for divisive team against team bickering. If we work together, we'll come up with a plan to find whatever that was down there, we just need time."

Connie tugged on Jasper's arm. Jasper glanced down at her. "Jasper...I think we should work with the Crystal Gems on this one. At least until we figure out what we're dealing with..."

Jasper grunted. She felt a tugging on her other arm and turned to look down at Peridot. Peridot sighed. "Connie's right. I know you aren't fond of them...but working with the Crystal Gems might be the most logical action we can undertake..."

Jasper grumbled to herself. She glared at Garnet and Pearl, and then glanced down at Amethyst's dumb, smiling face. She groaned and released Connie and Peridot's hands. "Fine. Then let's discuss. What is that thing out there?"

Everyone stood there, back where they had started. All of them trying to think of just what sort of monster would be able to overcome Lapis's control of the ocean. Peridot was the first to speak. "Seeing as we're on the subject of... _her_...do you think this might be something Bridget created?"

Connie shook her head. "I don't think that's it. Going off of the list we took from her hard drives, I think we've caught and Bubbled all of the Gem Monsters that Bridget made while she was testing her Corruption Beam."

Pearl cleared her throat. "Perhaps...we're overthinking this. Maybe, rather than one of Bridget's machinations, it's just a regular Corrupted Gem. Despite how long we've been chasing them down and catching them... _thousands_ of the Diamond's victims are still roaming the planet..."

"Can I weigh in on this?"

The Gems all turned to see Pearl's pink-haired friend walking towards them. She scratched the back of her head and draped her arm over Pearl's shoulder. "By the way, some _red guy_ yelling about you guys in the crowd over there..."

Pearl shrugged. "Oh well. That doesn't matter. We'd love to hear your theory though!"

Pink Hair shrugged. "You ever think it might have just been a _really big shark_? Not everything has to do with Gem stuff ya know..."

Everyone was dumbfounded at the thought. Pink hair nodded. "Yeah. I remember watching this big week of TV all about ancient sharks before. They say that some of 'em can get to be huge! Like, the size of a friggin' yacht!"

Jasper was annoyed. She glared at the Pink Hair as the human chewed on her lower lip ring. "So, basically, you're saying that my friend was overpowered by a pathetic _earth shark_? Is that what you're implying, _Rose Quartz?!_ "

Pink hair scowled and subversively shot a lude gesture right at Jasper. " _Yeah_. That is what I'm saying. And my name isn't _Rose Quartz_ , it's S-"

RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGH!

Everyone quickly turned to see a furious Lapis screaming at the top of her lungs at the ocean. The blue Gem raised her fist high into the air and slammed it onto the shore, splitting the ocean right down the middle and making a huge rift all the way down to the seafloor. Steven and Amethyst quickly rushed over to Lapis, only for her to shove them both away.

The blue Gem ran her hands through her hair and screamed at the top of her lungs. " _EARTH BEAST OR NOT, I CAN'T BELIEVE I LET WHATEVER THAT WAS BEAT ME AT MY OWN GAME!_ "

Jasper silently smiled on as the suddenly furious Lapis ranted on about the ocean monster rivaling her hydrokinesis. Lapis screamed at the ocean. " _I'M A LAPIS LAZULI FOR DIAMOND'S SAKE!_ "

Lapis's eyes went blank and, slowly, the water of the ocean began to rise up. " _DON'T THINK I'M GOING TO LET YOU GET AWAY WITH THIS!_ "

Foreseeing a disaster, even without her Future Vision functioning properly, Garnet ran up to Lapis, grabbing her shoulder and attempting to calm her. "Lapis, calm-"

Blinded by her rage, Lapis grabbed Garnet's arm and shoulder threw her to the ground. " _AND JUST WHY DID YOUR FUTURE VISION NOT SEE THIS COMING?! HUH?! I THOUGHT YOU WERE THE ALL-SEEING LEADER OF THE CRYSTAL GEMS!_ "

Garnet clenched her jaw. But, after a moment, she sat up and sighed. "If I'm being totally honest with all of you...I don't know what's going on with my Future Vision..."

Steven and Pearl both looked instantly concerned. Amethyst spoke up. "W-what's up Garnet?"

Garnet took off her sunglasses and sadly stared down at the ground. "A couple of weeks ago, I was in the Burning Room and...the next thing in my memory is Ruby and Sapphire both waking up. I don't know what happened..."

Lapis's anger slightly subsided. "So...you blacked out and defused..."

Garnet nodded. "Yup. And, ever since, my Future Vision has been...selectively...working. I foresaw Pearl's companion showing up today...but that's the first time it's worked in weeks..."

Pearl looked horrified. "This seems like something that you should have brought up days ago!"

Garnet shied away. "I...I didn't want to worry you. I've been trying to fix it myself. I've voluntarily defused. Sapphire had Ruby poof her and let her reform...but nothing's come of it..."

Lapis glared at Garnet for another long moment, and then she sighed. "A couple weeks ago huh? That-"

Lapis was suddenly interrupted by another person joining the conversation. " _Thank goodness you're all alright!_ "

Everyone turned to see Greg Universe running up to joining them, his legs carrying him as fast as they could. Greg stopped short of his son and collapsed onto his butt, gasping for air. "Gosh...I'm...really out of shape..."

Steven quickly smiled at his father. "Hey Dad!"

Pearl frowned. "Greg...you were supposed to meet up with us this morning! Steven wanted to go get breakfast! I...was even going to attempt to eat a donut..."

Greg nodded and continued to try and catch his breath. "Sorry...I wanted to be here on time...but the van had a flat tire. It...it took forever to change it..."

Steven chuckled. "You should've called! We'd have come and helped you if you needed it!"

Greg ruffled Steven's hair. "Yeah. I know you would've. I just didn't wanna ruin Beach Fest for you. But, with the attack and all, it looks like-"

" _ **UNIVERSE!**_ "

Jasper rolled her eyes. "Great...who else is going to butt in on this conversation?!"

Everyone turned to the latest invader of the Gems' private conversation. Jasper and Pink Hair both sneered at the sight of the latest invader. Mayor Dewey, his face as red as a beet, stomped up to the group of Gems and shot his angriest glare at each and every one of them. Jasper turned to Pink Hair. "What was that gesture you shot me?"

Pink Hair was quick to shoot the very same gesture as the angry, sweating Mayor. Jasper was quick to join her. Mayor Dewey sneered at them. "Don't test me! _Not today!_ You Gems have done it this time! And no amount of the _hot one_ trying to talk me into ignoring this is going to help you this time!"

Jasper was snide. "And just what are you going to do, hu-"

Mayor Dewey exploded. " _OF COURSE BEACH FEST IS RUINED BY SOME GEM THING! THE MOST IMPORTANT TWO DAYS ON THE BEACH CITY CALENDER AND OF COURSE A GEM MONSTROSITY COMES AND MESSES EVERYTHING UP!_ "

Steven and Greg both stood up and walked up to Mayor Dewey, attempting to reason with him. Greg spoke first. "Mayor Dewey, please...the Gems couldn't have saw this coming!"

Steven nodded. "Yeah! Garnet's Future Vision is broken!"

Pearl joined in. "And besides, Mayor Dewey, it's just a silly beach party!"

Mayor Dewey's jaw dropped. "J-j-j-j-j...j...JUST A SILLY BEACH PARTY?!"

Pearl, Steven, and Greg all flinched. Mayor Dewey was sweating buckets. " _DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH INCOME THIS FESTIVAL BRINGS TO BEACH CITY?! DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH VOTER SUPPORT THIS FESTIVAL GETS ME?!_ "

Pearl cocked her head. "How would I kn-"

Mayor Dewey erupted again. " _RECENTLY YOU WEREN'T HERE FOR BEACH FEST AND IT WENT GREAT! A WHILE BACK BEFORE THAT YOU'RE HERE AND THE_ _ **OCEAN**_ _DISAPPEARS! WHY CAN'T YOUR WEIRD GEM STUFF EVER JUST LEAVE THINGS ALONE!_ "

Steven and Greg didn't know what to say. Pearl took a deep breath and spoke in a soothing voice. "Mayor Dewey, please calm down. We're trying our best to handle the problem. Beach Fest isn't ruined...you might just have to put it off for a couple of days."

Mayor Dewey's irises shrank to the size of pinpricks. "Put it off for a couple of days? After all the time and all the money that went into planning this festival... _PUT IT OFF FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS?!_ "

Pearl flinched. Mayor Dewey jabbed her figner directly at her and Greg. " _ABSOLUTELY NOT!_ "

And then, his voice fell to a whisper. "You listen here! And you both listen good...I'm not putting off Beach Fest! You hear me?! I've already told everyone in the crowd over there that you've already handled the problem! Everyone is coming back for the second day of Beach Fest tomorrow, monster or no monster!"

Greg's eyes widened. "But that's really dangerous! Lars and Sadie are both already in the hospital because of whatever that is in the water! You can't just-"

Mayor Dewey held up his hand. "Universe! You and your Gem friends listen closely. If this monster ruins Beach Fest, I'll use every power I have as Mayor to drive the lot of you out of town! _No excuses_! This is your problem and you will take care of it..."

Mayor Dewey turned his attention from Greg to Pearl, jabbing his finger right in her face. "Understand?!"

Before Pearl could say anything, Pink Hair marched forth, shoving the Mayor back away from the Gem. "You listen here old man! She won't hit you because she's strong enough to shatter you into a million pieces! But I'll punch you in the mouth if you ever get in her face like that again!"

Pearl blushed and cracked a small smile. "Oh...I can stand up for myself...you don't have to-"

Pink Hair turned and smiled at Pearl. "Oh come on! You know I gotta stand up for _my girl_!"

And then, switching to her angry face, Pink Hair turned back to Mayor Dewey and scowled. She wasn't the only one unhappy. Jasper and Amethyst were both annoyed as well. Amethyst for Mayor Dewey getting in Pearl's face, Jasper because Dewey was genuinely annoying her.

Steven quickly tried to be the voice of reason. "Mayor Dewey, please! People could get hurt! Is Beach Fest really more important than _voter safety_?!"

Mayor Dewey sheepishly looked away. And then, her turned tail and began to march away from the Gem. Pink Hair called after him. "Hey! The kid just asked you a question!"

Mayor Dewey didn't turn back around, he simply waved Steven off. "I-if...just please take care of it..."

He slumped over, clearly worn out. "You're the only people who can handle things like this. So please... _just go find and take care of it_..."

As Mayor Dewey slumped his way back to the crowd of people gathered around, Steven sighed and frowned. "He seems really stressed..."

Pink Hair rolled her eyes. "He's a f- _mmmmph_..."

Pearl quickly clamped her hand over Pink Hair's mouth, pointing her finger towards Steven and Connie. " _Impressionable children..._ "

Pink Hair sighed through her nose and nodded. " _Mm-hm._ "

Pearl removed her hand. Pink Hair sighed "Sorry."

Pearl nodded and smiled. "It's fine. Sorry to cover your mouth like that..."

Pink Hair smirked and wrapped her arms around Pearl, pulling her so close that their noses touched. "I'll get you back for it later..."

Pearl blushed. "Oh... _hee hee_..."

Connie was much more dour. As Greg, Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, Pink Hair, Steven, Jasper, and Peridot all gathered up into a bunch, she sighed. "So, I guess we're back to the question we started with. What now?"

Peridot piped in. "Well, for starters, we need a boat!"

Greg sighed. "I guess I still have enough money left that I could rent...and probably end up buying another boat..."

Garnet shook her head. "But then what? My Future Vision is broken and we still have no clue what we're dealing with. Whatever that monster is out there, we'll be going in to fight it totally blind. I'm up for the challenge, but I don't want to risk so many of you on an enemy that we truly don't know..."

Pearl nodded. "Garnet has a point. How would we even find it..."

For a long, pregnant pause, no one had an answer. And then, the answer came stomping up to them. "I can find it."

Everyone turned to see Lapis, with an irritated gleam in her eye, stomping towards them. She bowed right up to Garnet and spoke incredibly bluntly. "I'll lead this mission. Not you. _Me_."

Garnet opened her mouth to speak, but Lapis cut her off. "While all of you were standing around letting Mayor Dewey scream at you, I scanned the entire ocean. And...I think I have a lock on where that thing is! It's big...but I'm not going to let that thing embarrass me like that! Not in _MY ELEMENT_! We're going to go out there, we're going to find it, and we're going to catch it!"

Garnet stood silent for a moment, but then she smiled. "Fine Lapis. You seem to be fired up! So, go ahead! You lead all of us on this one!"

Lapis nodded and then turned to Greg. "Go get us a boat. We're hunting that thing down. _Tonight_!"

As Lapis marched away, heading towards Steven's hosue to further plan, Jasper chuckled to herself. Whilst the others followed the blue Gem, Peridot and Connie hung back. Once the others were out fo sight, Peridot turned to her larger orange friend. "Man...she's more aggressive than normal..."

Connie sounded a tad concerned. "What did you say to her earlier?!"

Jasper shrugged. "I just told her that she shouldn't get spooked by something out matching her. She just has to take that negative feeling and filter it towards the thing that offended her..."

Peridot cocked her head. "What?"

Jasper sighed and smiled and confident smirk. "Basically, I told her to let loose and get truly angry for once."


	41. Chapter 41: Decoration

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 41: Decoration**

 _A/N: Don't know if you saw the leaks, but I do make a reference to them in this chapter! Read at your own discretion!_

 _Other A/N: Sometimes I feel like I should publish a story focusing on the Crystal Gem side of things in this little storyline I've made up. But, I don't exactly have the time to do that. What do you guys think? Should I maybe hire a ghost writer to discuss with and have write a Crystal Gems side of this story for me? I'd love to hear you thoughts on this (and of the Chapter of course, cuz this one's a doozy) in your review or in a PM if you feel like it. Enjoy the chapter everyone!_

The stars twinkled in the sky as the full moon shone over the ocean at the pier. Waiting for Greg to arrive with the boat, the Crystal Gems, the B-Team, and Pink Hair all stood there, chatting with one another. Pearl looked concerned as she talked to Pink Hair. "I really wish you'd just wait at the temple...after what happened last time..."

Pink Hair shrugged and smirked. "What? All that green chick did was stab me. That isn't even the first time that's happened. I've been over 21 for a couple of years now..."

Pearl frowned. "But, if something happened to you and I couldn't stop it..."

Pink Hair grabbed Pearl by her shoulders. "How do you think I'd feel if something happened to _you_ and _I_ wasn't there to stop it?!"

Pink Hair gently grabbed Pearl's hands and held them tight. "If you think I plan to budge from your side, you're crazy!"

Pearl smiled and nodded. "O-okay. Just stick close so that I can protect you..."

As the rest of the Gems all chattered with one another, all of them discussing various things from Beach Fest to the monster to Amethyst and Jasper discussing wrestling, Lapis stood silent and angry, glaring out at the sea. She was maintaining composure but, inside, she was running out of patience.

The only reason she wasn't flying off on her own was because the others needed her to lead them along.

Lapis took a deep breath in through nose and sighed it back out, drumming her fingers on her upper arm and unconsciously causing the otherwise still water below to ebb to crash.

Peridot glanced over at Lapis and frowned. It wasn't fun to see her like this, to see her otherwise mellow companion so riled up. The green Gem silently creeped over to Lapis, tip-toeing up to her and tugging on her dress. Lapis glared down at Peridot and Peridot spoke. "Lapis...are you feeling any better?"

Lapis remained silent, her lips bent into a seemingly permanent frown. Peridot's eyes saddened ever so slightly. " _Lapis_..."

Unable to ignore the sad timber of her friends voice, Lapis relented. "Not now. Okay Peridot..."

Peridot flinched. Lapis shook her head. "I'm sorry. Just... _not now_..."

Sadly nodding and backing away, Peridot left Lapis to herself. The blue Gem cringed and glared back out at the water. Greg needed to _hurry up_! She was getting ansy.

After another few minutes, Greg's new boat, the _S.S. Dumedfershoor_ , puttered up to the dock. Connie cocked her head, a worried look on her face. "Dumedfershoor?"

Greg shrugged. "It's a German model."

Pearl looked concerned. "Isn't Germany a mostly landlocked country?"

Greg sighed. "It was the only boat I could get this late! Come on, it'll be fine!"

Lapis growled under her breath. "I don't care what it's called! As long as you can follow me in it, it'll be fine! Now let's get going!"

Lapis took to the air and glared out to see, concentrating hard for just a moment and sneering to the southeast. "That way."

Lapis pointed out to the ocean and yelled down to Greg. "Follow me that way!"

Lapis immediately took off, flying at high speed and very nearly disappearing out of view. Greg was incredulous. " _How does she expect me to keep up when she's flying so fast!_ "

As the others boarded the boat, Peridot sighed and handed Greg her Stardust Scanner Percierre. "Use this. It has Lapis's stardust in it. You should be able to track her no matter how far away she gets."

Greg stared down at the machine and looked confused. "Okay, so that big dot is Lapis?"

Peridot nodded. "Yup."

Greg pointed to another spot on the map. "What's that small one?"

Peridot frowned. "I'm assuming it's just interference. I went and checked that area earlier today and I didn't find anything. Plus, even it it was something, we do have a bigger problem to handle, right?"

Greg nodded. "Yeah. You're right. Thanks for the tracker Peridot."

Greg shot Peridot a thumbs up which she quickly returned. And then, Stardust Scanner Percierre in hand and Gems on board, Greg set off after Lapis.

Up in the air, with murder burning in her eyes, Lapis was soaring towards the large presence that she felt swimming through the ocean. It might have embarassed her earlier in the day, but not again! She was a Lapis Lazuli! A _terraformer_! One of the most powerful types of Gems capable of being produced! She would _not_ allow whatever was hiding in the depths to embarrass her in front of the people she loved and respected like this!

Barely managing to keep up, trailing behind her in Greg's boat, the rest of the Gems all chatted amongst themselves. Peridot, however, was uncharacteristically silent. From her seat on the port side of the ship, she was glaring a hole through Jasper. Jasper had tried to ignore it, making conversation with Connie and Amethyst, but, eventually, she could ignore it not longer. " _What are staring at?!_ "

Peridot sneered at Jasper. "Oh, nothing. I'm just wondering how this whole _get Lapis angry_ plan is working?"

Jasper shrugged. "I mean...she's determined, at least. She's so ready to face that monster down that we can barely keep up with her. I think that's a positive!"

Peridot was quick to snap back. "WELL I THINK IT'S RIDICULOUS!"

Everyone flinched at the sudden shouting, Amethyst was quick to try and quell the argument. "Whoa! Whoa Peri! No reason to get so upset..."

Peridot shook her head. "There's plenty of reasons to get upset! Even if we choose to ignore how badly this is effecting Lapis on a psychological level...I still can't see the logic on getting a _terraformer_ so angry on a planet where she's so powerful!"

Peridot marched up to Jasper and poked her in the chest. "You have to realize that, if she gets too much more angry, she could annihilate this planet and we couldn't stop her, right?!"

Jasper flinched and glanced away from Peridot. "Well...to be honest. No, that hadn't actually crossed my mind..."

Connie cocked her head. "Wait...I thought Lapis was a _decoration_..."

Peridot and Jasper both turned to Connie. The human girl nodded to herself. "Yeah. I'm positive that both of you have called Lapis a decoration before..."

Peridot looked ashamed of herself. "Well...yeah, we have..."

Jasper sighed and shook her head. "It's a bad habit. A really bad habit, and we both need to work on stopping it..."

Connie was confused. "A bad habit?"

Jasper nodded. "Yeah. A bad habit."

Peridot sighed. "A bad habit that hurts Lapis's feelings whenever we do it..."

The Crystal Gems all gather around the three members of the B-Team. Steven looked concerned. "So, is that why Lapis is so mad?"

Jasper frowned. "That's probably part of it. Peridot and I calling her a decoration when she's a terraformer probably doesn't weigh to well on her mind. She probably thinks we don't respect her at all..."

Pearl frowned. "Well, no one is fond of being referred to as their class. We all have names and personalities. And...of all the things you could insult her with...I can't say _decoration_ is the easiest pill to swallow..."

Pink Hair, seeing the wistful look on Pearl's face, wrapped her arm around around the Gems shoulder. "Decoration doesn't sound like a very good thing to call someone. Kinda sounds like a racial slur..."

Garnet nodded. "Kind of is. It's what the Diamonds call Gems that serve little more of a purpose than to just stand there and remind people that their owners have a high status. Rose, back when she was still with us, wanted to free all of them of that as part of the Rebellion."

Pink Hair nodded. "Jeez. What kind of poor Gems were stuck in that terrible position?"

Jasper grunted a response. "Mostly Pearls."

Pink Hair's eyes widened. She turned to Pearl, looking more miserable than ever, and pulled the sad Gem close. "Oh, babe, I didn't know. I'm sorry..."

Pearl sadly smiled and grabbed Pink Hair into a hug. "It's okay. You didn't know. I...just wish that you didn't have to know that. It's...not a part of my life that I'm fond of reflecting on. My owner wasn't...the best person in the universe..."

Pink Hair smiled wide. "Well don't worry about a thing! If I ever meet her, I'll punch her right in the mouth for ever treating you like that!"

Pearl frowned, but then she blushed and slightly smiled. "Well...it's the thought that counts, I suppose..."

Jasper sneered. "If you two are done _flirting_..."

Pearl gasped. "Oh, sorry..."

Pink Hair shot Jasper a derisive look. Peridot sighed and spoke. "We don't call Lapis a decoration to be mean to our Lapis! It's...the other Lapis's that we have a problem with..."

Steven cocked his head. "What do you mean?"

Jasper growled to herself. "We mean that Blue Diamond's section of the Empire mainly produces high class snobs that love to flaunt their positions and power over other Gems head while taking advantage of the fact that they can sit around and do nothing unless the Diamond's specifically order them to do something! And Lapis's are really bad about that on Homeworld!"

Pink Hair was confused. "So, what does that have to do with calling Lapis a decoration?"

Jasper sighed. "Well, if the Lapis's on Homeworld are going to stand around and act like decorations, might as well call 'em decorations, right?"

Peridot shook her head. "But, that's wrong. It's wrong to do that. Especially when it comes to our Lapis! She acts nothing like the Lapis's on Homeworld..."

Steven and Connie were both curious. "What do the Lapis's on Homeworld act like?"

Peridot looked annoyed. Jasper sneered. "They're awful. They...they act...uh..."

Jasper thought hard. "Lapis and Peridot told me that you've been to the Zoo. So, I trust you've met the Holly Blue Agate there?"

Amethyst rolled her eyes. Garnet sighed in disgust. Steven sighed and shook his head in shame. Pearl slapped her forehead. " _By the Diamonds..._ "

Jasper nodded. "I'll take that as a resounding yes. Well, all of the Lapis's on Homeworld act like and even more stuck up, haughty version of her! Everyone from Blue Diamond's Empire act like that! And they leave all of their menial tasks to the Quartz's and other foot soldiers under them."

Jasper glanced up at the sky. "But, in spite of all of that, I need to stop doing that. I didn't have any respect for Lapis when we came to this planet but, after Malachite and the seperation and the Corruption and... _everything_ , she's the _furthest thing_ from a decoration that I've ever met!"

Jasper turned to Peridot. "So, to answer your question, I guess the reason I wanted Lapis to get angry was to show that we'd follow her lead if she needed us to. I wanted to help build her confidence a bit, especially after that nightmare, but I guess that making her angry isn't the _best idea_..."

And then, as if she knew she was being talked about, Lapis suddenly landed on the deck of the ship. Jasper immediately stood. "What's up? Did you find the monster?"

Still looking angry, Lapis shook her head. "No. But I did find something."

Lapis turned to the cabin. "GREG! TURN THE SHIP ABOUT 42 DEGREES STARBOARD! I FOUND SOMETHING THAT I NEED HELP WITH!"

Greg stuck his head out the window and nodded. "Yes ma'am! Changing course!"

The boat lurched over and began to sail in the direction Lapis commanded. After a few moments, they came upon what she had seen in the water. Greg ran down from the cabin and joined everyone else in gawking at what was floating in the water. "Yellowtail?!"

Floating in the pitch, nighttime water, safe in his bright yellow life raft, and unconscious Yellowtail was splayed before the group of Gems and Humans. Lapis turned to Greg. "I wasn't sure whether he was hurt or not, so I didn't want to risk plucking him up with the water."

Greg nodded and motioned for Pearl to help him. The two of them climbed down the side of the boat, picking up Yellowtail and carefully bringing him onto the deck. Pink Hair pressed her ear up to Yellowtail's chest, placed her index finger under his nose, and then quickly scanned over every inch of Yellowtail's body, feeling around and mentally registering each negative reaction.

Once she was done, she glanced up at the confused Gems surrounding her and sighed. "He's fine. His leg is hurt though. Got some spit to spare, little man?"

Steven nodded and licked his hand, gently clamping his spit-coated grip over the wound on Yellowtail's leg and healing it. Pink Hair nodded. "He should be cool now. But we should still take him to the hospital when we get back to shore."

Connie was utterly amazed. "You did nearly as fast as my Mom usually does. How did you...?"

Pink Hair shrugged. "I was in Med School for 3 years before I dropped out. I still remember a _few_ things..."

Lapis groaned and rolled her eyes. "I'm glad he's alright...but that distraction made me lose track of the monster..."

She pressed her face in her hands and fell silent for a moment. "And now I can't sense it anymore!"

Jasper was confused. "What?! What does that mean? How do you lose something that big?!"

Lapis glared over at Jasper. "If I knew, don't you think I would've found it again by now?!"

Garnet quickly got inbetween the two, keeping them from going at it with one another. "This is no time to lose our cools and argue amongst ourselves. We all need to keep a level head."

Garnet turned to Jasper. "Jasper, I know it's hard for you, but just take a step back and breathe for a minute."

She turned to Lapis. "Lapis. Keep calm and focus. You're the most powerful Gem here. You can do this! We all believe in you, right?"

Pearl and Amethyst both smiled and nodded. As did Steven, Connie, and Pink Hair. Greg chuckled. "Of course she can! She stole the _entire ocean_ to build a tower before, I'm sure she can find whatever that is swimming around in it!"

Finally, Peridot grabbed a hold of one of Lapis's hands, urging the blue Gem to take a seat next to her. Lapis complied and Peridot smiled. "You can do it Lapis. You've already led us all the way out here, now just calm down and focus!"

Lapis, for the first time since mid-day, smiled and nodded. "O-okay..."

Lapis sighed. "So, what was everyone talking about while I was up there? I glanced back awhile ago and saw you all huddled around one another..."

Peridot shrugged. "Nothing much."

Connie interjected. "We mostly discussed the way castes on Homeworld treat one another. Apparently, according to Jasper and Peridot, a lot of Lapis's act-"

Lapis finished her sentence. "Haughty and arrogant like they own whatever planet they're on? Yeah, I know. I could never stand hanging around with my own kind with the way the constantly acted towards other Gems. Why do you think I came to Earth so early? I needed a vacation from them..."

Jasper and Peridot both blushed in shame. Jasper mumbled out a quick apology. " _S-sorry..._ "

Lapis turned and cocked an eyebrow at Jasper. "What?!"

Jasper sighed and spoke up. "Sorry about all of those I called you a decoration..."

Peridot nodded. "Me too. Sorry...Lapis..."

Lapis glanced at the utterly apologetic looks on her friends faces and chuckled to herself. "It's fine guys. It's fine. I don't care...much..."

The blue Gem pulled Peridot into a side hug. "But, it is nice to know that you at least care enough about me to apologize."

Jasper and Peridot both smiled. Lapis chuckled. "After all, I'm lucky to have you two. A brilliant scientist and the Ultimate Quartz as my barnmates? _Much_ better company than a bunch of snooty Lapis Lazuli's!"

Steven was quick to jump to the Lapis's defenses though. "Aw, they can't be all bad! I mean...Amethyst's family seemed like a nice bunch of Gems. Maybe your family are just the way they are because they've been working under Blue Diamond for so long..."

Lapis's smile faded. "Ugh...Steven, please. I don't want to think about the Diamonds. Not after all the bad dreams recently. I can't even sleep anymore, and I was enjoying doing that too..."

Jasper nodded. "Good point. I haven't been able to sleep lately without seeing...ugh...her. I don't want to think about them too hard while I'm awake..."

Peridot silently nodded and began to twiddle her thumbs. "I miss being able to sleep together. I like laying down between you two. It makes me feel safe..."

Laying his jacket over Yellowtail and handing him to Amethyst to carry into the cabin, Greg looked confused. "Wait a minute...you guys sleep? I thought Amethyst was the only Gem who slept..."

Jasper regarded the human. "We haven't been sleeping lately, me and Lapis. The things we saw in the Conquest Diamond...the things that Bridget did...they brought up some bad memories of life at home..."

Lapis sighed. "And now, whenever we sleep, those memories run through our dreams at full speed. She runs through our dreams at full speed..."

Jasper shook her head. "But the green runt seems to be sleeping just fine. I guess because she never saw much past Yellow Diamond. _Friggin' snot-nosed pebble..._ "

Peridot sneered. " _Pebble?!_ I'm over _150 years old_ thank you very much!"

Jasper and Lapis both sounded off simultaneously. " _Over 5000._ "

Greg groaned. " _Sheesh, and my back hurts in my 30s..._ "

He shook his head. "Either way, I can relate. I've been having some bad dreams recently too. Car wash suds trying to grab ahold of me and drown me."

Jasper cocked her head. "Carwash suds?"

Greg nodded. "Yeah. A huge, white cloud of death just grabbing me and pulling me down. Ugh, sometimes I wake up and my vision stays white for a second..."

Pink Hair chuckled and slapped Greg on the shoulder. "Come on old man! Aren't you too old to be having nightmares..."

She shook her head. "Nah. I can't talk. I've been having 'em to recently. I dreamed about a week ago that I was riding my bike down the highway and suddenly, out of nowhere, a huge snowstorm just shows up and I get lost in it!"

Peridot rolled her eyes. "Human problems..."

Pink Hair scowled. "You say that, but you don't have a motorcycle. I'd never take my baby out in the snow! Snow leads to hail and hail could really damage her..."

Connie sighed. "Well, as bad as that is. At least you haven't been dreaming about...White Diamond..."

Pink Hair cocked her head. "Who's White Diamond?"

Jasper sighed. "She's Yellow and Blue's boss. They fear her like the oncoming heat death of the universe...and for good reason..."

Pink Hair turned to Connie, then Peridot, then Lapis, then Jasper. "And you've all been dreaming of this White Diamond person since that green chick who stabbed me attacked?"

Steven nodded. "Uh-huh. I've been trying to help them, but I can't find the source of the problem, no matter how many times I visit them. All I can do is help solve the dream and then hope they're able to get some sleep..."

Peridot nodded. "Yeah. And it's really frightening to think about having to deal with her too. I only ever saw her once and it felt like my Gem was going to crumble in her presence."

Lapis sighed. "I saw her once when she came to visit Blue Diamond. And, even trapped in the mirror, I could feel when she came to Earth. It's like she sucks all of the atmosphere out of the room, you just feel like you're floating in place..."

Jasper clenched her fists. "I was put in charge of clearing a planet once. After my squad and I got done, we went up to the War Diamond and White Diamond was there talking to Yellow Diamond. When it came to light that the Peridot's in charge of scanning the planet had misread their scans, and the planet didn't have the resources we needed, she blasted all of them into space dust...alongside the planet..."

Pink Hair shivered. "Geez...ax-crazy much?"

Jasper shook her head. "No. She's a _genuine genocidal psychopath_. There's a reason that I said Earth would be gone is she had come instead of Yellow Diamond."

Pink Hair cocked her head. "So, White Diamond has never been to this planet?"

Jasper sneered. "I just said that. _Stupid human_..."

Ignoring Jasper, Pink Hair turned to Connie. "And you've been fighting this White Diamond in your dreams?"

Connie nodded. "Yeah. She's terrifying. Two stories tall, that huge shock of white hair...you can see your reflection in the Gem on her forehead if she gets close enough..."

Pearl grasped Connie's shoulder. "Oh Connie...it's okay. I know how scary it can be to face her down... _trust me_..."

Pink Hair scratched her head. "Well...that's just weird..."

Pearl wistfully glanced up at Pink Hair. "Trust me, it you ever meet White Diamond, you'll-"

Pink Hair waved her hand. "Not that. It's weird...Peri, Lappy, and Jerkface I'd understand...but how could Connie have such a vivid dream about someone she's never met before?"

…

…

…

Pink Hair looked up from her thoughts. "Guys, I-"

Pink Hair flinched at the genuine look of terror that had crossed everyone's face. Pink Hair held up her hands in defense. "Whoa. Guys, it was just a question..."

After another tense moment of silence, Pearl relented. "I...I dreamt about White Diamond too. And, when I heard that the others were having dreams about her, I just thought it was from having to deal with Bridget, just like they did. But..."

Pearl turned to Connie. "How would you know what she looks like?"

Greg quickly interrupted. "Wait, you've been sleeping too Pearl?"

Pearl shook her head. "I tried it once. After Steven woke up the first time and told me that he was going to help the others. But...Steven, you never told me that Connie was dreaming about White Diamond!"

Pink Hair knelt down to Pearl. "Just calm down babe. It's fine. It's just a dream. Why don't you share what it was about?"

Pearl ran her hand through her hair. "It was about Rose...at first. But...then it shifted back to her and..."

Pearl looked extraordinarily uncomfortable. As she curled into a ball, Pink Hair grabbed her into a hug. After a moment, Amethyst returned to the group, a goofy smile on her face. "Hey, what's up everyone?!"

After a second, she noticed the tense feeling over everyone. "Hey guys...what's up? Why's everybody so wigged out...?"

Garnet, looking as if her head was about to pop, quickly turned her attention to Amethyst. "Amethyst! Have you been having any strange dreams?!"

Amethyst cocked her head. "Uh...strange like how?"

Garnet clenched her fists. "Has White Diamond been in your dreams?!"

Amethyst shrugged. "I don't know. I've never seen White Diamond. I mean, I've been having this dream about being friends with a giant white Gem, but I don't know whether it was White Diamond or not..."

Steven and Connie looked spooked. "Making friends with her...?"

Amethyst chuckled. "Yeah. She'd joke with me, and we'd laugh and break stuff, and she'd yell at Yellow and Blue Diamond all the time. So, I'm pretty sure she was my friend!"

Amethyst saw the spooked looks on her fellow Gems faces. "But, it probably doesn't mean anything. I dream about weird stuff and beating up the Diamonds all the time! Nothing out of the ordinary!"

Greg was quick to try and defuse the situation. "Just calm down everyone! I'm sure it's fine. I mean, you guys have all been dealing with Gem stuff for a good while now! So, it's fine that you've all been having some freaky dreams about it! Everything is just fine!"

Pearl took a deep breath. "But, what about Connie dreaming of White Diamond?"

Greg shrugged. "Connie said she dreamed about fighting a tall, white Gem with spiky hair and a Gem on her forehead. As weird as that sounds, that could probably describe a lot of Gems..."

Greg chuckled. "That could vaguely describe _you_ Pearl!"

Pearl's shoulder relaxed, ever so slightly. She sighed. "I...I guess..."

Greg nodded. "See, everything is just fine. Dreams are just weird. There's no reason to freak out over a weird dream..."

Pearl totally relaxed. "Yeah. I guess you're right."

Pink Hair, relieved that Pearl was no longer spooked, smiled. "You know what, the old guy is right! Dreams are weird! I mean...think about it! How weird is it that you all dreamed of that White Diamond lady and me and the old man both dreamed about a something white causing us trouble? Weird right?"

Pearl nodded. "Y-yeah. We-"

She quickly fell silent and her eyes widened. "You both dreamed of something _white_..."

Pink Hair flinched at the sudden fear in Pearl's voice. "Yeah, but babe-"

Behind her, Pink Hair heard someone fall over. She turned and saw that Garnet had fallen to her knees, her sunglasses having fallen off of her face, revealing that her pupils had shrunk to the size of pinpricks. Pearl quickly called our to her. "Garnet...! Did you just think of it too...?"

Garnet nodded and pressed her hand over her eyes. "Sour Cream's concert..."

 _Earlier that day..._

 _Garnet and Pearl both silently chuckled to themselves as Sour Cream began to explain his vision. "I had a dream! A dream of a shining, white light!"_

 _Back in the Present..._

Suddenly, Connie, Peridot, and Steven all silently gasped. Connie's lower lip trembled as she thought back to what she had heard earlier that morning. Steven spoke in a near whisper. "Mr. Smiley is closing down the House of Mirrors..."

 _Earlier that day..._

 _Mr. Smiley shook his head. "Nope. No can do! It has to go! You can't just ignore gut feelings about things, especially when they come in dreams!"_

 _Connie cocked her head. "What do you mean?"_

 _Mr. Smiley took a deep breath. "I..had a dream a couple weeks ago. I was in the House of Mirrors and...and..."_

 _Steven was on the edge of his seat. "And?!"_

 _Mr. Smiley shouted out. "And I was being chased by a ghost! A horrible, bone white specter! It chased me all throughout the House of Mirrors! It's eyes glaring a hole through me! I haven't been able to work up the nerve to go in the House of Mirrors since!"_

 _Back in the Present..._

Amethyst glanced down at the deck of the ship, her mind running faster than voice could. She ran her fingers through her hair. "And Yellowtail too...and Sadie..."

 _Earlier that day..._

 _Amethyst sat under a nearby table, half-listening in on Vidalia's conversation as she shovled meatloaf into her mouth._

 _Vidalia smiled and nodded. "Yeah! He told that he saw...the Goddess of the Moon...or something...in his dreams. He told me that as long as the bright white light of the moon is shining on him, he'll be just fine!"_

 _Sadie shrugged. "I...I don't know. To be honest...the color white is kinda freaking me out lately. To many bad dreams about the Big Donut and stuff..."_

 _Back in the Present..._

Lapis gripped her hand over her mouth. She felt like she was going to be sick. A pit the size of the ocean was forming in her stomach. "That guy and his marriage proposal..."

 _Earlier that day..._

 _Everybody in the cabana fell silent. They all turned to see a man in a blue t-shirt standing next to a women in a purple dress. Acting quickly, the man turned to the women and smiled at her. "Anita. We've been going steady with one another for quite a while now. And...well...I was trying to think of a way to ask this for a while now. But, a couple weeks ago, when we arrived here for vacation...it came to me in a dream. I saw the most beautiful diamond I've ever seen and knew that I had to ask you this..."_

 _Back in the Present..._

As everyone sat their, thinking back to the strange things they had all heard earlier in the day, they were all shocked by the sight of Garnet suddenly defusing into Ruby and Sapphire. Both of the shorter Gems looked utterly shellshocked as they knelt there on the deck of the ship.

Pearl, quickly getting over her own shock and fear, stood and ran over to them. "Ruby! Sapphire! Are you both okay?"

Ruby meekly shook her head. "We...we remember now..."

Pearl shook her head. "What?"

Sapphire was openly weeping. "We remember what happened when Garnet black out. We...we remember why my Future Vision isn't working properly..."

Pearl's eyes widened. "What do you remember?"

Ruby was blunt as she shakily reached out and grabbed Sapphire's hand. "Her laugh..."

Sapphire stifled back a sob. "That awful laugh! The same laugh that echoed across the battlefield when she returned to Earth to fight Rose again. The laugh that echoed when she was shattering handfuls of our friends without a care in the world. The laugh that echoed out when the Corruption attack was launched over this planet..."

Ruby shuddered in fear. "A couple weeks back. Garnet heard that laugh and then she split. We heard that laugh and we passed out."

Sapphire was practically hyperventilating. "And now...I hear that laugh whenever...whenever I try to use my Future Vision to foresee dangers...it won't leave my head..."

Everyone fell into an even more tense silence. This silence, after a long minute, was broken by Peridot. Whispering in the smallest voice possible, the green Gem summed up their situation. "So...everyone in Beach City has, in some form, had White Diamond in their dreams..."

No one seemed to want to acknowledge it. The younger people on the boat just seemed scared, but the older Gems looked sick. Finally, Pearl nodded. "Yes. From the looks of things...everyone in Beach City has dreamed about White Diamond in some way...whether it abstract or in person..."

Steven's eyes widened. "But...I didn't. Why did I get left out...?"

Jasper growled and stood up, her fists and teeth clenched. "Argh! What does any of this even me-"

Suddenly, Lapis stood from her seat and took to the air. Dropping that other revelation for a moment, Peridot called up to her. "Lapis?! What's wrong?! Did you find the monster?!"

Lapis nodded. "Yeah...I've found the monster..."

Everyone quickly rushed to the bow of the boat to see what Lapis was looking at. They all stared down in the water and, to their surprise, they saw nothing more than one tiny, seafoam green dot glowing just beneath the waves.

Jasper cocked her head. "That's it?"

Behind the rest of them, Garnet quickly reformed. Her voice still trembling, the Fusion shook her head and refocused herself. "It...it doesn't matter. Either way, we've found it..."

Taking a deep breath, Garnet summoned her Gauntlets. "So let's just catch it and get this over with..."

Everyone else nodded and got into their positions. Greg ran to the nearby ring buoy. Amethyst summoned her whip, Steven summoned his shield, Connie pulled Rose's Sword, Jasper summoned her Crash Helmet, Peridot pulled a piece of metal from the inner hull of the boat, and Pearl summoned two spears, handing one over to Pink Hair.

Jasper glanced up into the air. "Okay Lapis! Try to pull the thing out of the water and then we'll attack it!"

No response.

Jasper turned and glared at the hovering, blue Gem. "Lapis! What's going on up there?!"

Lapis landed back on the deck, her eyes wide with fear. Connie, Peridot, and Jasper all ran up to her. Connie shook her blue comrade. "Lapis, what's wrong?"

Lapis shook her head. "B-by the Diamonds...there's..."

Peridot looked up at Lapis, her face drenched in concern. "What is it Lapis?!"

Lapis swallowed a lump in her throat and stared out at the endless expanse of the ocean. "There's... _thousands_ of them!"

The B-Team and the Crystal Gems both flinched back. Jasper shook her head. "What...?!"

Jasper and the others all turned back to the ocean and watched, to their horror, as the one seafoam green glow was soon joined by a giant cluster of other seafoam green glows. Soon enough, the still surface of the water was glistening an eerie green.

Greg was freaked out as he slowly retreated deeper into the boat. "Wh-what's going on?! What's happening?! What are we going to do?!"

As the endless mob of seafoam glows began to approach the ship, everyone tensed up and got ready for a fight. Lapis swallowed a lump in her throat and summoned a ball of water to use as a weapon. " _We're going to need a bigger boat..._ "


	42. Chapter 42: The Hoard

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 42: The Hoard**

 _A/N: I don't know if anyone has ever noticed this, but I just did so I want to point it out! I just recently went to a convention with my wonderful friend of 6 years, Jenny, and she bought me a full box of the Funko! Steven Universe Pint Size Heroes. I opened them all and, as I was putting on my shelf, I discovered soemthing I hadn't noticed before. The way Steven's hair is arranged on the back of his head makes his head look like a rose! Sorry, I just thought it was really cool...I'm kind of a dork..._

 _The S.S. Dumedfershoor, the middle of the Ocean..._

It took precisely six seconds for someone, in the face of the monstrosities below the waves, to do something reckless. Before anyone could stop them, in dual flashes of orange and purple, Jasper and Amethyst launched themselves into the water, weapons at the ready.

The water went still for a moment after they leapt in. No bubbles, no ripples, not a wave. All was still. And then, in two violent explosions, both of the reckless Quartzes were thrown from the drink, landing flat on their backs on the deck of the boat.

Amethyst, with fire in her eyes, immediately transformed into a giant crocodile and leapt back into the water, roaring like a maniac.

Jasper stood and cracked her neck. "There really are thousands on them down there!"

Garnet marched up to Jasper. "What are they?! What are we dealing with?!"

Jasper spat and sneered at the Fusion. "They're giant fish! Giant fish with huge, sharp fangs! And they're all gathering around the hull of this vessel!"

Pearl tried to chime in. "But why are gath-"

But, Jasper's ears were already shut off. With a mighty roar of her own, Jasper transformed into a giant, angry hammerhead shark, summoned her Crash Helmet over her newly shaped head, and dived back into the mix.

Lapis sighed in exasperation and dissipated her wings. "They're going to get themselves shattered down there..."

And then, with the grace of an olympic swimmer, Lapis leapt in after her two comrades, hoping to save the aggressive Quartzes from their own blind fury.

Not wanting to wait around, Pink Hair ran to the side of the ship and nearly leapt over the starboard hull before being stopped by Pearl. She looked back at the horrified look on the pale Gems face. Pearl rapidly shook her head. "Are you crazy? You can't go down there!"

Pink Hair held the spear Pearl gave her aloft. "Why not?! I have a weapon right here! I have to go pull my own weight on this trip babe!"

Pearl shook her head. "But you require air! What if those things get ahold of you and you can't makeit back to the surface to breathe?!"

Pink Hair flinched and pulled her leg back onto the deck. "Well...what am I supposed to do here?! Just stand around while all of you f-"

Pink Hair was cut off by one of the monsters leaping from the water and clamping over her face. She screamed in pain and rage as the rapidly flopping monster latched on and pushed her to the ground. " _FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUGGGGGHHHH! GT' I' OV MEH!_ "

Ignoring the muffled, salty language, Pearl immediately ran to her special friends aid, grabbing the fish's tail and trying to yank it off of Pink Hair's head. Connie flinched in fear at the horrifying sight. "Gah! Look at that thing!"

Steven cringed at the sight of teeth sinking into flesh. "It's...it's a _Gem Piranha_!"

Peridot shoved Steven from behind. "Worry about naming it later!"

Steven and Connie nodded and the two of them, alongside Peridot, ran to help Pearl. However, as they ran to help, two more Gem Piranha's came leaping from the depths and tried to attack Steven and Connie. But, fortunately, the two kids were saved by the timely intervention of Garnet.

The Crystal Gem Leader seized both fish by their lowers jaws and smashed their heads into each other, throwing the dazed monsters back into the water and then punching away five more. Garnet, despite the relief on her face that Connie and Steven were safe, was quick to bark orders. " _GO HELP PEARL'S GIRLFRIEND! PERIDOT AND I WILL HANDLE THESE THINGS!_ "

Pearl blushed as Steven and Connie rushed to her aid. "Garnet, please...not in front of the-"

Pearl was cut off by the screaming and thrashing of Pink Hair on the deck. She quickly went back to trying to pry the Gem Piranha from her special friends face, but to no avail. Progress, however, quickly came when Connie, thinking fast, carefully wedged Rose's Sword under the monsters teeth and, using lever action, pried its teeth out of Pink Hair's skin, allowing Pearl to yank and fling the monster back into the ocean.

Pink Hair screamed in pure agony as she clutched her injured face. However, relief soon came in the form of a slobber covered hand. Steven, thinking quickly, licked his palm and pressed it against Pink Hair's face, instantly healing her of the gashes caused by the Gem Piranha's teeth.

With a look of pure relief on her face, Pearl knelt down to Pink Hair. "Are you okay?!"

Pink Hair nodded and sighed. "Yeah. I think I'm-"

Suddenly, another Gem Piranha leapt from the water. This, however, jumped at Pink Hair and exclusively focused on her lower jaw. The upper part of the beasts head wedging in her mouth while its lower jaw clamped over her chin.

Pink hair cried out in pain and began to try and snatch the Gem Piranha off of her mouth. " _Aggggghhhh! I' teef ah stuh un mah fiwwinz!_ "

Pearl snarled and pulled out her spear, stabbing the Gem Piranha through its back and poofing it. "That's enough attacking her for one day!"

Steven was quick to run to Pink Hair's aid. The human woman quickly sat back up and spat the Piranha's gems on the deck. And then, she proceeded to groan in utter agony. Steven put his hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?!"

Pink Hair let loose a gargling groan. "It bit into my fillings..."

Steven was understanding, hurriedly attempting to help her. "It's okay! I can fix it! Just open your mouth and-"

Pink Hair ruffled Steven's hair. "Kid...I like you...but I'm _not_ letting you spit in my mouth..."

Connie tensely watched as Pink Hair struggled to her feet. "So, what are you going to do now?!"

Pink Hair cracked her jaw and harshly grabbed the weapon Pearl had given her. "I'm thinking about takingup _spear fishing_!"

And then, with fire in her eyes, Pink Hair leapt into the water, roaring all the way. Pearl's eyes widened in horror. "WAIT! YOU PROMISED YOU'D STAY WHERE I COULD PROTECT YOU!"

And then, without a second thought, Pearl leapt in after her special friend, spear at the ready.

Now, as the ripples of her dive slowly disappeared, it was narrowed down to Steven, Connie, Peridot, and Garnet on left on the deck. And, despite more than half of their forces being under water and fighting, the four of them were still left with hundreds of Gem Piranha's lunging at them.

Garnet was quick with her punches, keeping all four of them safe as Connie, Steven, and Peridot tried to defend themselves. Every so often, Steven would try to throw up a Bubble, but to no avail. Every attempt was blocked by a Gem Piranha lunging at his face or throat.

As the four of them fought, Greg stuck his head out of the cabin. "Hey guys, is every-"

Greg screamed in terror as, from the nearest side of the ship, a Gem Piranha came lunging at him, it's teeth sinking in the the metal zipper on his jacket and holding on tight. Garnet was quick to respond, rushing to Greg's aid and punching the Gem Piranha, and most of Greg's jacket, back out into the sea.

The pudgy human tried to make a comment about his coat, but Garnet was in no joking mood. " _BACK INTO THE CABIN GREG!_ "

Almost immediately, Garnet was beset by five more Gem Piranha's. The beast latched onto her arms and her hair and bit down hard. Garnet roared in pain and electrified her body, zapping and poofing the five of them. Their Gems clattered to the deck, but most were quickly collected by other Gem Piranha's and whisked back out to sea.

Peridot, seeing this unusual behavior, reacted fast. She reached down to the deck, grabbing the Gem from Pink Hair's mouth, and spiriting it into her Gem for safe keeping.

And then, the onslaught continued. Garnet worked as hard as she could to defend the other three less experienced fighters, but she wasn't omnipresent. As she struggled to defend her charges from the endless assault of Gem Piranha's, the beasts went to work on the boat.

Their teeth sank into the outer shell of the boat, tearing it asunder and ripping it to shreds. Even with Connie slashing with Rose's Sword, Steven bashing with his shields, and Peridot using her ferrokinesis to batter them away, the Gem Piranha's were slowly winning their assault.

And then, to make matter worse, several explosions rang from the water. Bursting forth from under the waves, the rest of the Crystal Gems and the B-Team came forth. They all crashed into the deck of the ship, beaten and waterlogged.

Amethyst shakily pushed herself up. "Geez man..."

Pink Hair gasped for air, her hand clamped over a gash on her arm. Pearl tended to her companions injury and shook her head. "There's no end to them down there..."

Lapis ran her hand through her hair, that all too familiar look of rage and defeat crossing her face. "I can't believe this..."

She slammed her fist into the deck. "They...they're overpowering me down there. Their combined control of the water is overwhelming my singular control of it..."

Lapis squeezed her eyes shut and slammed her fist into the deck over and over and over. " _GAH! DARN IT! DARN IT! DARN IT! WHAT_ _ **ARE**_ _THOSE THINGS?!_ "

However, no one on deck was fuming more the than large, scuff, deliriously angry from of Jasper. The brutish, orange Quartz stood up and, silently, snatched a Gem Piranha off of her shoulder, dropping it to the deck and stomping it hard enough to cause the wood beneath it to bend and splinter.

And then, with a roar that made the very ocean quake in terror, Jasper ran to the side of the ship, ripping off a large chunk of the starboard hull and screaming at the rampaging hoard. "I'LL SHATTER YOU ALL!"

And then, batting several of them out of the air with the side of the ship, Jasper reared back and hammer tossed the much needed piece of metal as far as she could. And, to her surprise, the Gem Piranha's back off. The hoard took a brief respite from attacking the Crystal Gems and the B-Team and rapidly swam away towards the piece of errant flotsam that Jasper had cast into their domain.

Greg, hearing the metal on the ship rend from his hiding spot, emerged and his jaw near immediately dropped. " _THE BOAT! COME ON JASPER, THIS IS THE SECOND RENTAL YOU'VE DESTROYED!_ "

Greg surveyed the damaged and grimaced in horror. "I might have a ton of money still...but these things are still _expensive_..."

But Jasper still didn't seem to care. Steam was practically rising from her head as she continued to scream, in vain, at the retreating hoard of Gem Piranha's. "PATHETIC COWARDS! YOU'RE ONLY LASTING THIS LONG BECAUSE YOUR GROUP IS BIGGER! I'LL SHATTER EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!"

Jasper continued to scream, yelling and raging until her voice was hoarsed, her threats barely coming out as little more than a whisper. Lapis rubbed her temples and waited until Jasper fell quiet before responding. "You done?"

Jasper's voice cracked as she fell onto her back. "Yeah...I'm done..."

And then, for a moment, it was pure silence. Everyone was tired out, breathing heavy, and tending to the fatigue and injury that was already veiled over the entire group. In the distance, the frenzy of the Gem Piranha's, tearing into the hunk of ship that Jasper had detached and tossed, could be seem frothing to the surface.

Finally, Peridot spoke. "Jasper...could you throw me that Gem that you poofed?"

Jasper nodded and complied, reaching over the poofed Piranha's Gem and tossing it to Peridot. Peridot caught it and then reached up to her Gem, pulling out the Gem that she had collected and finally getting a good look at the two. She cleared her throat and spoke. "As a certified Kindegartener, I can say that by cut, clarity, and-"

Jasper cried out. " _Get to the point runt!_ "

Peridot grumbled under her breath. " _nyeh_...These things are Aquamarines!"

Connie and Steven both sounded confused. " _Aquamarines?_ "

Jasper, sounding utterly worn out, chuckled to herself. "Oh! That makes sense..."

Garnet and Pearl turned to one another. Pearl cocked her head in confusion. "Do you remember any Aquamarine's being on this planet?"

Garnet nodded. "There were a few squads of them. But, given their function, Rose deemed that they weren't worth going after. They weren't doing anything harmful to the Earth, they were just doing their jobs..."

Connie was confused. "Wait...those things were here, as Gems, doing a job for Homeworld...and they weren't _harming the planet in any way_?"

Jasper shook her head. "No. That's not what Aquamarine's are born to do. They might be one of the most benign types of Gems... _stupid defenseless disposable workforces_..."

Steven was curious. "Well, if they weren't here to hurt the Earth...then what were they here to do?"

Peridot stuck her finger into the air. "They were the preface to the Lapis Lazuli's that were meant to come to the planet and rid it of water!"

The green Gem turned to Steven and Connie. "They came here to rid the water of obstructions that might hinder a Lapis Lazuli's progress of terraforming. Their main function is to destroy detritus, degrade troublesome mineral deposits, and rid the oceans of planets they are sent to of any dangerous sea life that might be able to inflict harm on the more precious Lapis Lazuli's."

Greg, snapping out of his funk, chimed in. "So...they were like...underwater contractors?"

Jasper shook her head. "Nah. More like underwater janitors. They're considered so disposable by Homeworld standards that the Diamond's feel comfortable sending literally thousands of them to a single planet."

Greg frowned. "Oh..."

Jasper nodded. "Yeah. Entire Kindergarten's of them are birthed at the same time, given their numbers, and immediately shipped out to do their jobs. And then, when they're done, they're instantly sent to the next place they're needed...or put on the shelf until they can be useful again..."

Pink Hair looked disgusted. "How could your planet treat people like that? Who decided that Aquamarine's were so disposable?"

Jasper quickly fired back. "The same Gem that made the same decisions about every other Gems place in society..."

The Quartz looked out at the frenzy going on in the distance. "All of them were probably purposefully left behind. I bet the Diamond's didn't even bother to tell them what was going to happen..."

Pink Hair cocked her head. "But, you yourself just called them disposable. So, why does it sound like that bothers you?"

Jasper sighed and glanced down at her left arm, remembering the first signs of Corruption. " _No one_ deserves that sort of miserable existence."

Steven smiled and chuckled as a fatigued Connie leaned against him for support. "Well...even if they're Corrupted, at least they still have each other. Just like Centipeedle and her crew. They still have each other to keep company with!"

Peridot shrugged. "I suppose that's true. But, Aquamarine's are pretty simple-minded. They could be with one another out of some sort of familiarity...but I'm willing to bet it's more that their orders are the only things they can coherently remember. That's probably why all the lesser ones are still following their commanders."

Amethyst sighed. "Okay, let's talk about that then...there are _leaders_ down there...?"

Jasper nodded. "Yeah."

Amethyst laid down, rolling over next towards Jasper until she collided with the larger Quartz's side. "So sis..."

Jasper scooted over with a sneer on her face. "Not in the mood for that."

Amethyst nodded understandingly, and then scooted right back against Jasper. "How do we tell the leaders apart from the drones?"

Jasper shrugged. "I don't know...back when they were normal Gems...I think the leaders were slightly bigger. But, like that actually matters...how would we find them down there in that frenzy in the first place?"

Pearl stared uncomfortably as the violent rippling of waves in the distance. "Well...it's not we aren't used to Corrupted Gems being violent and aggressive. But, I do have to wonder...why are they ignoring us for that piece of boat that Jasper threw out there?"

Garnet chimed in. "I think I have the answer. Peridot called it on this one. They're probably just following their orders from before their Corruption."

Connie cocked her head. "Following their orders?"

Garnet nodded. "Yup. They aren't attacking us right now because we aren't the priority. The priority for them is to rid their ocean of debris. They're just trying to get rid of any metal structures that might get in a Lapis Lazuli's way."

Lapis looked incredulous. "So...they're just hunting down metal?"

Pink Hair groaned. "Ugh..."

She reached down to her lip and fiddled with her lip ring. "That's why they keep biting my face..."

Connie nodded. "That makes sense. Sadie was wearing a metal anklet when she was attacked. Going by what we've come up with so far, they were just after the metal, not her..."

Steven was confused. "But, what about Lars? Why'd they attack him?"

Jasper sat up. "Same reason they're attacking us. He was getting in the way of their work..."

Lapis stood up. "Okay, that's enough discussion about the Aquamarine's predicament for now. We need to focus on how to stop them..."

Lapis walked to the edge of the deck and glared out at the sea. "They're done with that hunk of the ship. And they're already coming back..."

The rest of the group joined Lapis in staring out at the ocean, flinching back at the sight of the ripples in the water the Gem Piranha's were making. Lapis shook her head. "So, if we're going to stop these things, we have to find the pack leaders, right? Jasper? Peridot?"

Lapis turned to her B-Team teammates. Peridot nodded. "Yes. And like Jasper said, if their new forms held up to the standard their old ones did, then the leaders should be significantly larger than the others!"

Lapis nodded and squeezed her eyes shut, concentrating on all of the Gem Piranha's rushing towards the ship. "Okay...I feel them down there..."

Lapis nodded. "Yeah...all three of them..."

Jasper shook her head. "So, three pods of them got left behind..."

Lapis turned to the rest of the group. She shot them all a confident look. "So, I have a plan. Would you guys care to hear it?"

Garnet smiled and nodded. "Of course. You are still the Leader of this mission after all!"

Jasper nodded in affirmation, confidently smirking at her blue comrade. Lapis sighed. "It's a pretty simple plan. We're going to do things the Jasper way..."

Pearl tensed up, sneaking a quick glance at the orange brute. "The...Jasper way?"

Lapis nodded. "I can't lead all of you all at once down there. Especially if the pod leaders move from the positions they're currently in. But, now that we know they're bigger, we should know what exactly we're looking for when we go back down there."

Peridot nodded. "Indeed. If we rid ourselves of the pod leaders, the rest will be left confused and scrambling for some form of command. We can use that opportunity to poof and Bubble the rest of them."

Lapis smiled. "Good. So we have our plan. We do as Jasper would do, rush headlong in, taking out anything that gets in our way, and rapidly try to hunt them down. I'll support you all however I can with my hydrokinesis."

Connie quickly posed a question. "But, what about myself, Steven, and Pearl's friend?"

Lapis nodded. "Steven, we need the three of you to be down there too. Surround yourselves with Bubble Shields and try your best. Don't drown yourselves, but be down there if you can!"

Steven nodded and quickly formed three Bubble Shields. And then, focusing hard, he formed spikes on the surface of all three of them.

Lapis turned back to the water, glaring at the ever approaching pods of Gem Piranhas. "Okay then...well..."

She sighed. "Anyone have anything to add?"

Amethyst was quick to chime in. " _NO WORDS JUST FIGHT!_ "

Jasper roared at the top of lungs and, alongside Amethyst, they both jumped headfirst into the water. They were quickly followed by Garnet, Connie, Lapis, and Pink Hair. Pearl sighed, glancing at Steven and Peridot. "They're all so aggressive..."

Pearl shrugged and smirked. "Oh well. Let's go get them!"

Steven and Peridot both cheered as they followed Pearl into the water. Beneath the waves, the Crystal Gems and the B-Team rocketed towards the hoard of Gem Piranhas. The Piranhas all opened their mouths, revealing rows upon rows of sharp teeth and, without any delay, the two opposing forces collided.

This time, it was a much more even fight. With a proper strategy, the B-Team and the Crystal Gems worked flawlessly together. Amethyst transformed into an crocodile once more, biting down onto several of the Piranha's tails, swinging them around and smashing them into other Piranhas, poofing them all with ease. A grouping of the Piranha's attempted to strike from behind, but the little purple all croc was quickly saved by her big shark sister. Hammerhead Jasper hissed at the aggressing Gem Piranha's and rammed into them with her Crash Helmet, poofing them as she rocketed through the brine.

Garnet, having had a moment on the ship to clear her head, began to fight much more efficiently. The fact that she was underwater was an especially good boon as she reached out, jamming her gauntlet into a Gem Piranha's mouth and releasing an electric charge so large if poofed hundreds of them at once before rushing to the next group and doing the same to them.

Steven and Connie were trying to have some fun, they bounced around under water and pinballed from every surface they could find: Gem Piranha's, small rock structures, the ocean floor, even each other! They chuckled and joked with one another as they did so, ramming into Gem Piranha's with their spiky shield and poofing them. As the two kids had their fun, Peridot swam behind them. The grumpy green Gem was doing her best to distract the Piranha's so that Steven and Connie could hit them, using her Ferrokinesis to draw their ire away from the kids as they carried out their attack.

Lapis floated around in the water, swaying the flow of it by creating small currents to route individual groupings of Gem Piranhas. She sighed as she saw piles of Aquamarine Gems collecting on the ocean floor below. Every so often, she would focus hard, checking to see if any of the larger ones had been poofed. And each time she was disappointed.

Lapis called out to the others. "Has anyone so much as seen one of them yet?!"

She was rapidly met with a chorus of responses in the negative. Lapis groaned and rocketed into another grouping of Piranhas. The pod leaders couldn't hide forever!

Meanwhile, Pearl and Pink Hair had each others back as they fought. Pearl elegantly flitted around in the water, thread her spear the attacking Piranhas and skewering multiple targets at once. Pink Hair was a lot more gruff, slamming her Spiky Bubble Shield into any of the accursed fish that got too close and knocking them back.

Pink Hair would never admit it, but she was a little unnerved. Despite the larger metal ship floating just above, so many of those fish were still focused on the few pieces of metal sticking out of her head. They came at her with ravenous fervor, slamming themselves into the Bubble Shield and weakening it a little each time.

Seeing several of the fish rushing at Pearl from behind, Pink Hair quickly charged them, smashing them away and saving Pearl from being bitten. However, the stress finally became too much for her Bubble and, being so far away from Steven and not having him to concentrate on it, the Shield broke down and Pink Hair was left floating in the water, at the mercy of the approaching Piranha's.

However, she wasn't alone. Pearl smiled and slashed the Gem Piranha's away. And then, turning to Pink Hair, she quickly Bubbled her head and handed her a spear. "You said you wished to try spear fishing?"

Pink Hair nodded, smiling and taking the spear. Pearl blushed, absent-mindedly slashing away the attacking Piranhas. "This is...uh..."

Pink Hair took a quick look around, making sure no one was looking, and then she reached out. Grabbing Pearl around the waist, Pink Hair pulled in the Gem, pulling her face into the Bubble surrounding her head, popping it, but giving Pearl a giant, loving kiss at the same time.

Pearl wordlessly reached up and Re-Bubbled Pink Hair's head and the human chuckled. "I think the word you were looking for, babe, is romantic! This might be one of the best dates we've ever been on!"

Pearl, feeling sheepish, nodded and blushed. Pink Hair laughed and stabbed her spear past Pearl's head, impaling three more Gem Piranhas. "Now, let's get 'em!"

Pearl smiled wide, a confident fire in her eyes. "Yeah, let's get 'em!"

The fighting continued on for a good while after that. No matter how many Gem Piranha's were poofed, however, the leaders had still yet to be found. And Lapis, after all of her efforts thus far today, was running very short on patience.

As she finished off yet another group of the Piranhas, the blue Gem angrily shook her head. "Okay, screw this..."

She tensed up, gathering a ball of water into her hands, making a dense bubble of liquid that was progressively getting heavier and heavier. After a moment, she gently tossed the ball out and directed it towards all of the fighting.

Lapis glared at the Gem Piranha's and called out to her allies. "EVERYONE BRACE YOURSELVES!"

The rest of the group stared out at Lapis, wondering what she was talking about. Jasper stared in the blue Gems direction for a moment, and then she noticed the dense ball slowly floating towards them. Her eyes widened and she turned to the others. "SWIM FOR THE OCEAN FLOOR!"

Everyone complied, following Jasper to the bottom and bracing themselves against the briney depths. From their safe position, the watched as the dense ball of water meandered into the school of confused Piranhas.

And then, with a snap of Lapis's fingers, they all flinched back as the ball burst open, blasting out at the Gem Piranhas and scattering them with a huge underwater depth charge!

From their positions, Lapis, Jasper, and Peridot all scanned the water, each of them looking closely and finally spotting the three bigger Piranhas. Jasper hissed and wrapped her tail around Amethyst, the two of them going after the closest pod leader to them.

Peridot tugged on Garnet's pants leg, pointing to the pod leader she saw and using her Ferrokinesis to pull a metal rod from the ship above. Garnet nodded and, with a smirk, fastballed the tiny, green Gem straight towards the pod leader.

Finally, Lapis sped down to the pod leader she saw. Swimming at a speed that most jets would envy, Lapis slammed into the pod leader, her hand gripping around its Gem. The spooked fish screeched and whipped around, smacking her in the face with its tail and swimming away.

Lapis glared at it. "No you don't!"

And then, thrusting her hand forward, Lapis froze the water in a straight line in front of her. The freezing trail rapidly shot through the water, eventually reaching the pod leader and freezing onto its tail. She was quickly swarmed by Gem Piranhas, trying to protect their leader, but Lapis blasted them all off with another, smaller depth charge. The blue Gem quickly coated her free hand with ice, creating a small spear, and began to swim towards the pod leader. "Time to put this to a rest!"

Meanwhile, Peridot grabbed onto the back on her pod leader, pulling her metal bar between its teeth and creating a makeshift safety bar to grasp onto. The pod leader bucked and flopped, trying to get her off, but to no avail. Peridot smirked and summoned another, sharper piece of metal. "Time to put this to a rest!"

And Jasper, with the help of Amethyst, had managed to corner the final pod leader. She transformed back into her normal form and leapt onto the creature, wrapping her arms and legs around it and grabbing its head. Jasper began to squeeze the leaders head and sneered at the creature. "Time to put this to a rest!"

However, nothing came to a rest.

As the final decisive blows were in the process of being stricken, all three of the pod leaders cried out. The wailing call echoed through the ocean, stirring the remaining Gem Piranha's into an insane frenzy. Connie cocked her head and she and Steven stared on. "What was that?"

Her question was answered by a sudden ethereal glow from the depths. Everyone looked down at the seafloor and there eyes widened as the poofed Gem Piranha's Gems all began to shine bright green. Pink Hair was confused. "What are they-"

She was interrupted by Pearl pulling her close as the glow got even brighter.

Up on the surface, Greg stared down at the water in a mixture of fear and worry. It had been a while since the Gems, Connie, Pink Hair, and his son had descended beneath the waves. And then, the water began to glow a sickly green. Greg's eyes widened and he quickly retreated back into the cabin, grabbing the unconscious Yellowtail and bracing for impact.

He flinched in horror at the sound of a huge explosion!

After a moment, after the reverb died down, Greg emerged from the cabin and stared in horror at the sight. The entire from of the ship had been blown off and it was slowly sinking into the depths. But, that wasn't what had bothered him.

Laying on the deck was the Crystal Gems, the B-Team, and Steven. Most of them looked utterly dazed. Pearl looked worried as she cradled her unconscious friend in her arms. Greg ran over to his son, placing Yellowtail down, and checked on him, sighing in relief upon realizing he was alright. Greg turned to the other and quickly asked the most obvious question. "WHAT HAPPENED?!"

Connie sighed. "It's okay. Lapis cushioned our fall. I don't think any of us are too badly hurt..."

Greg shook his head. "I'm glad, but that's not what I meant! What happened _down there_?!"

Greg's question was immediately answered by something truly frightening. A loud, echoing, somber wail emerged from beneath the waves. The sounds echoed throughout the empty sea, reverbiating until it faded into nothing. "What was...?"

Lapis raised her hands up and quickly halted the sinking process, freezing the remains of the boat in place on the surface of the water. Then, she closed her eyes and began to concentrate again.

Jasper sat up and glared at the, now calm, ocean. "I think we've made them angry..."

Peridot was a bit more fearful. " _I've never seen that many Gems reform that rapidly all at once!_ "

She stood up and stared down at the water. "I don't think there were even that many at Bridget's hideout..."

Amethyst sat up and pulled a whip out of her Gem. "So, why aren't they attacking? If we made them so angry...then shouldn't they already be back at trying to eat us?"

Another long, ominous wail. Garnet remained calm, but she was as blunt as she could be. "That doesn't sound very friendly."

Pearl gently placed Pink Hair down. "It doesn't even sound like a single being. Just listen closely to it. It sounds like they're roaring in unison..."

Lapis immediately shot up, her eyes going wide with fear. " _That's because they are!_ We need to get out of here! _Now!_ "

Connie glanced over at Lapis. "Why, what-"

Connie was interrupted by a third, more angry sounding roar. The group all stared out in the direction that it came from and, after a short moment, they were met by a sight that drained the color out of all of them.

 _The Gem Piranhas had fused._

And the result, a massive Gem Great White Shark, had breached from the water, letting loose a roar so loud it made the water ripple as far as the eye could see!

The Gem Shark smashed back down onto the surface of the water, and then it turned its hateful glare towards the remains of the boat and the Gems sitting atop it.

Jasper swallowed a lump in her throat and nodded. "I agree with Lapis, we should-"

The monster roared again and charged the boat. The Gems and Humans all recoiled in terror as its giant gaping maw rapidly drew closer and closer to them, its giant mouth shimmering with the sickly green glow of Corrupted Aquamarine Gems.

To the surprise of the helpless boat passengers, the shark suddenly dived underwater. But, they didn't have a single moment to breathe a sigh of relief. The hark had swam down and, quickly breaching once more, rammed the remains of the S.S. Dumedfershoor into the air, opening its massive jaws and allowing the wreckage of the boat of fall in.

Watching as monsters teeth slowly closed around them, Peridot screamed in terror. "WHAT DO WE DO?! IT'S GOING TO SWALLOW US!"

Lapis ran her hand through her hair. "Let me think! Let me think!"

Lapis's eyes widened. "Ste-"

The blue Gem turned just in time to see a faint pink glow where Steven had once been standing. He, Connie, Greg, and Yellowtail had all vanished. Lapis flinched. "Wait, where-"

Lapis stopped short. She realized that she had no time. It was getting darker and darker as the jaws of the monster drew closed. Thinking fast, Lapis quickly reached out and grabbed the two forms closest to her, sprouting her wings and making for the exit to the monsters giant maw.

As she flew towards the lips, Lapis listened closely. And the blue Gems heart sank at what she had heard. Back down below, screaming at the top of her lungs, Lapis heard Peridot. As the blue Gem made her way through the teeth, she heard one last pitiful cry of "LAPIS!", and then she heard nothing.

Lapis cried out as she escaped the monsters jaws! She continued to fly for a minute, making sure that she and the people she had saved were far from the Gem Shark's reach.

When she finally stopped, Lapis looked down and, to her disappointment, she saw Pearl and Pink Hair hanging from her grip. She had failed to save either of her barnmates.

Lapis looked on in horror as the Gem Shark crashed back into the water. It opened its jaws wide, slamming them back down and making a sickening crunch. And then, its business concluded, it sank back into the depths.

Lapis shook her head. "No! No! NO!"

The blue Gem squeezed her eyes shut and concentrated once more, trying to feel around for the Gem Shark as far as she could feel. But, it had already disappeared.

Lapis floated there, in a complete stupor, with Pearl and Pink Hair hanging from her grip. Unsure of what to do next.

Eventually, her train of thought was brought back on track by a familiar voice. "Lapis!"

Lapis looked down to the water and gasped at what she saw. Steven, Connie, Greg, and Yellowtail were all sitting there, atop Lion. Lapis quickly floated down to the pink feline, carefully placing the unconscious Pink Hair and traumatized Pearl on its back.

And then they all just floated there. All of them in complete silence, not knowing what to say. After a moment, Pearl spoke up. "Lapis...can you feel them down there?"

Lapis emptily shook her head. "No. No I can't... _they're gone_..."

Connie looked utterly terrified. "Are they okay? I mean...they've survived worse...right?"

Pearl grimly shook her head. "They were all probably poofed when the ship was crushed during that second bite..."

Steven swallowed a lump in his throat as his father began to console him. "So, what do we do now?"

Lapis sadly glanced at the steadily disappearing ripple where the Gem Shark had sank back into the depths. She lowered her head in shame and spoke in a voice so quiet it was barely audible. "I... _I don't know..._ "


	43. Chapter 43: Frenzy of the Aquamarines

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 43: The Frenzy of the Aquamarines**

 _A/N: And so ends the "Beach City Beach Fest" Arc! I hope this one has been an enjoyable experience for all who read! As for the next Chapter, it's going to be something really special that I've been planning for a good bit! I'll make sure to PM all relevant parties when the time comes, but I get the feeling that some people are really going to enjoy it! :D (Also, sorry it ran a bit long. I didn't want to have to do another Chapter for incidentals because I'm really excited about the Next Arc.)_

 _Beach City Shores..._

They all sat there in the sand, their head hung in total defeat. Lapis, Steven, Connie, Pearl, and Pink Hair all sat on the Beach. Lion slumbered next to the five of them, totally at peace, as they all dealt with the heavy thoughts that hung over their heads.

They were totally at a loss for what to do next.

Garnet, Amethyst, Jasper, and Peridot were all gone. And no one had any idea how they would be getting them back...

But, at least Yellowtail was going to be alright. The moment they had made it back to shore, Greg ran right to Vidalia's house. And then, after she, Sour Cream, and Onion came down to the Beach, he gave them all a ride to the hospital.

Lapis let loose a worried sigh and glanced out at the ocean. She needed to think, to clear her head. If she was ever going to find that monster, and her friends, she needed a crystal clear mind to work with.

Lapis took a deep breath and turned to Steven and Connie. "I'm glad to see that you two are alright..."

Steven and Connie both sadly nodded. Their faces were both bathed in worry. Pink Hair, however, perked up and shot Lapis a faint smile. "Thanks for saving us, by the way. I'd of probably bit it if I were in that things mouth when it chomped the ship!"

Lapis worriedly frowned. Pink Hair flinched. "B-but I'm sure the others are fine! A-after all, you Gems are a whole lot tougher than a squishy human like me, right?"

Lapis sighed and nodded, opting not to mention that she didn't mean to save them. "Don't mention it. I'm glad you're alright..."

Lapis turned to Steven. "On the subject of people being saved though, how exactly did you and Connie escape Steven? I think I would've noticed you floating out of the things mouth."

Steven smiled and placed a gentle hand on Lion's flank. "Lion swooped in and saved us."

Lapis cocked her head. "How?!"

Steven grinned. "Lion can use his roars to teleport! He came running when he heard I was in trouble and grabbed all of us! Then he got away with another roar."

Lapis sighed. "How did I not hear that? I feel like I would've heard that..."

Pearl frowned. "Well, I mean, I didn't hear it. Everything else was drowned out by that monster roaring and Peridot screaming in ter-"

Pearl gasped and blushed. She turned her gaze to Lapis and saw the shocked, saddened look on the blue Gems face. Pearl reached out to her. "Lapis. I'm sorry. I didn't-"

It was too late. Feeling the tears building up in her eyes, Lapis buried her face in her knees. She had failed her. Hearing that last terrified scream of her name in her head, Lapis new that she had failed. Peridot, one of the few people who relied on her for support...Lapis had let her be eaten.

Steven placed and understanding hand on Lapis's back, vainly attempting to comfort her. Connie, meanwhile, stared out at the ocean and could only think of one thing to say. "What now? What are we going to do?"

Pearl sighed. "As long as that monster is masking itself from Lapis, I doubt we'd be able to find it. The ocean on this planet is just too big for us to corner it..."

Pink Hair was pessimistic. "And, I mean, there are probably millions of sources of metal in the ocean out there. Who knows how far away that thing has gotten by this point? I mean, ships sink all the time..."

Steven frowned. "It's too bad there aren't more shipwrecks around Beach City. I bet the Gem Shark would have come right here if there was enough to eat..."

Connie's eyes snapped wide open. She stood and turned to the others. "THAT'S IT!"

Pearl flinched. "Huh?!"

Steven cocked his head. 'What is it Connie?"

Connie looked incredibly confident as a wide smile broke across her face. "I know how we're going to draw the Gem Shark here!"

Connie ran up to Lapis, grabbing the blue Gem by her shoulders and shaking her to get her attention. "LAPIS!"

Lapis lifted her face up. "What...?"

Connie pointed to the ocean. "I know how we're going to get them back! I have a plan!"

Lapis remained silent and somber. Connie frowned. "Lapis, come on! I know it's been a long night and I know that you're upset, but I'll need you for this!"

Lapis glanced away from her. Connie leaned in close. "Come on Lapis! We have to do this... _OUR B-TEAM NEEDS US!_ "

Lapis perked up. She gripped her fists tight and the fire returned to her eyes. "Fine. What's the plan?"

Connie smiled and took a few steps back so that she could look at everyone. "So, Steven said that if the ocean around here were more full of debris, then the Gem Shark would come running! So...we just need to litter the ocean around here with metal!"

Pearl stood up. "Do you think that that would work?"

Connie nodded. "Yeah. I think it would! We just need to get a ton of metal all gathered into one place! If we get enough, we should be able to draw it here no problem!"

Pink Hair stood and smiled, cracking her back. "Good idea kid. Let's do it!"

Lapis stood up as well, nodding and turning her attention to the city. "So, let's get started. We just need to go around the city and grab all of the metal we can find!"

Steven seemed unsure. "But, won't Mayor Dewey get mad? He asked us to keep the beach safe from the Aquamarines..."

Pearl shook her head. "It's fine. We have more important things to do right now! We have to save everyone Steven!"

Steven sighed, but then he adopted a serious expression and nodded. "Yeah. This is more important right now! We'll just have to come out here and help clean up later!"

Everyone else nodded in agreement, and then the lot of them split up to go and find a ton of metal.

Steven and Pink Hair run all up and down the sidewalks and the pier, grabbing any metal trashcans they can find and hurriedly rushing back to the beach to chuck them into the water. Steven frowns as he looks out at the water, seeing a few piteous cans bobbing on the surface. "I don't think it's enough!"

Pink Hair smiled. "Don't worry little man! I gotcha!"

Steven turned and gasped when he saw Pink Hair, her arms piled with stolen hubcaps. Steven flinched back. "Where did you get those?"

Pink Hair rolled her eyes. "Where do you think? I got them off of cars!"

Pink Hair quickly frisbeed every one of the hubcaps into the water. "You have super strength, right? Come help me tear off some bumpers!"

Pink Hair's plan was immediately interrupted by Pearl. "Don't worry about it! I already have it!"

Pink Hair and Steven turned and stared in shock as Pearl, a car in each hand, rushed towards the ocean. Using all of her strength, the thin Gem flinged both cars into the deeper water before turning to Steven and Pink Hair. "If you want to help, come help me remove peoples possessions from the vehicles. It took way too long doing it by myself!"

Steven and Pink Hair both nodded and followed Pearl back into the street. Pink Hair snickered. "Jeez babe, stealing cars already? We're taking this awfully quick, aren't we? Didn't do this with my ex until-"

Pearl, her entire face blushing blue, turned to Pink Hair. " _Shush!_ Just go and start emptying cars!"

Steven cocked his head in confusion, turning to Pink Hair. "What is-"

Pink Hair chuckled and forced a car door open, grabbing luggage and throwing it onto the sidewalk. "Nothing. _It's nothing!_ "

Meanwhile, down at the marina, Connie and Lapis were finding metal of their own. Connie ran up to one of the bollards. She nodded. "These things are made of metal. And there are a lot of them. We could-"

Connie flinched at the sound of rushing water behind her. She turned and her eyes widened at what she saw. Several giant water hands had gushed from the waves, each of them picking up and hefting a boat. Lapis shook her head. "Forget those things. We need to attract that monster! Gotta go big Connie!"

Connie nodded and began to unfasten ropes from the bollards. "Okay, but let's try not to smash all of them..."

Lapis shrugged. She didn't care about these boats. She had only one goal in mind. She used her hydrokinesis to lift 10 of them at the same time, carrying them all to the beachfront and smashing them into the water as hard as she could.

As the scraps of metal detritus floated to the top, she turned her attention to the ocean and concentrated.

Nothing.

Lapis turned back to the others and yelled to them. "It's still not coming! We need more!"

Lapis flew back to the marina, picking up ten more boats and taking Connie's advice to uproot the bollards as well. She didn't care how much stuff she had to destroy: SHE WAS GETTING HER FRIENDS BACK!

After another twenty minutes of stealing everything metal they could find and casting it into the water, Lapis, Pearl, Steven, Connie, and Pink Hair were all out of breath. They stared out at the ocean in total disbelief. Even with there being nearly more metal in the water than there was water, the Gem Shark still hadn't come to them.

Pink Hair shook her head. "I mean...I'm at a loss. We took every piece of metal we could find! Where is it?!"

Connie frowned. "No...according to what Jasper and Peridot both said, this should have worked! There's an entire junkyard in the water!"

Pearl stood in silence as Lapis frantically scanned the ocean for the Gem Shark. "Come on! _COME ON!_ "

She concentrated really hard, scanning the water as far as she could. " _WHERE ARE YOU?!_ "

Lapis fell to her knees, a pained expression of her face. "No...what can I...?"

Pearl sighed. "Well...you could always try to pull the ocean all into one place again...that might make it easier to find it..."

Pink Hair shot Pearl the side-eye. "Wait a minute... _SHE'S THE ONE WHO MADE THE OCEAN DISAPPEAR?!_ "

Pearl nodded. Pink Hair sighed. "Jeez. That was all over the news for weeks! My ecology professor made me write a thesis about it and everything..."

As Pearl and Pink Hair discussed the ramifications of making the ocean disappear with one another, Steven and Connie both walked up to Lapis, each placing an understanding hand on her shoulder. Steven frowned. "Lapis...?"

Lapis turned to Steven, looking nearly in tears. "Steven...how could this not have-"

And then her eyes widened. Looking at Steven and Connie, Lapis's eyes widened as she remembered something that they had mentioned earlier. "Wait a minute..."

Connie stepped back as Lapis stood up. "What is it La-"

Before Connie could finish, Lapis sprouted her wings and took off. The children both looked confused, but they had no time to question as another problem came stomping up behind them. " _WHAT DID YOU ALL DO TO THE BEACH?!_ "

Steven and Connie both turned and stared in shock and horror. Pearl and Pink Hair both rolled their eyes as Mayor Dewey came stomping up, a thick vein sticking out of his sweaty, red forehead. " _LOOK AT THIS! IT'S RUINED!_ "

The angry Mayor turned to Pearl and Pink Hair. " _YOU TWO! YOU'RE THE ADULTS HERE! HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN?!_ "

Pearl groaned, but put on her best air of civility and approached the beserk Mayor. "Now, Mayor Dewey...I know this _looks_ bad but-"

Mayor Dewey was practically spitting his words. " _LOOKS BAD?!_ _ **LOOKS?!**_ "

Mayor Dewey cringed in anger. " _I SHOULD HAVE YOU ALL ARRESTED FOR THIS! FOR_...for... _ **DESTRUCTION OF PUBLIC PROPERTY AND LITTERING!**_ "

Pink Hair shoved her way past Pearl. "Whoa! Whoa! Hold it old man!"

She got right in Mayor Dewey's face. "Don't you threaten her! If you're having anyone arrested, it's me! And it ain't gonna be for property destruction or littering!"

Pearl grabbed Pink Hair and pulled her away from Mayor Dewey. "Please...please don't be so aggressive..."

Pink Hair frowned and turned to Pearl. "But he's threatening you babe..."

Pearl smiled and gently held Pink Hair's hand. "I know. I heard him. But I can defend myself perfectly fine. I promise..."

Pink Hair took a deep breath and sighed. "Well...okay. As long as you think so. I just-"

Mayor Dewey sneered. "Okay, all of your lovey-dovey nonsense is just precious... _BUT WHAT ABOUT MY BEACH?!_ "

Pearl frowned. "Mayor Dewey. We're sorry for messing up the beach. But we need to attract the Gem Shark here, it ate Garnet, Amethyst, Jasper, and Peridot and-"

Mayor Dewey held up his hand. "Whoa, wait a minute, _GEM SHARK?!_ "

Suddenly, a voice called out from the sky. "Yup! Now clear the way!"

Mayor Dewey looked up and screamed in terror, running from the beach as Lapis, hefting the building that once housed the House of Mirrors with her water hand, glided to the beach. Lapis roared and, with all of her strength, she threw the House of Mirrors into the water, smashing it into pieces and saturating the water with metal scrap and other various detritus.

The blue Gem landed on the beach, on her feet, with a gigantic thud and glared out at the water. She squeezed her eyes shut and concentrated. "Come on monster...I know that you felt that..."

Mayor Dewey came running up to her. " _WHAT THE HECK IS WRO-_ "

Lapis turned and glared at Mayor Dewey, marching up to him and getting so close that their noses nearly touched. " _I. Am. Trying. To. Concentrate._ "

Mayor Dewey swallowed a lump in his throat. Lapis held her finger up to her lips. " _Shush!_ "

With Mayor Dewey successfully cowed, Lapis turned back to the ocean and squeezed her eyes shut. Using her Hydrokinesis, she scanned the water for miles out. Her eyelids twitched as she squeezed them tighter and tighter.

Steven, Connie, Pearl, and Pink Hair all gathered around Lapis. They all remained quiet as the blue Gem concentrated, her hands both pointed towards the water. Everything fell quiet and still for a good few minutes. And then, Lapis's right index finger twitch and a wide smile broke across her face. "That's right..."

Lapis glared at the ocean, her smile turning into an angry sneer. " _Get over here..._ "

Having worked his nerve back up, Mayor Dewey approached the Gems again. "What is this?! What's going-"

A deep, angry roar echoed through the air. Mayor Dewey's pupils shrank as he took a silent, fearful step back.

Soon after, a quiet (yet progressively louder) rumble could be heard. And then, as the rumble got louder, a progressively growing wake began to rise from the waves. And then, another, much sharper wail pierced the air.

Mayor Dewey sounded less angry and more genuinely freaked out. "What is that?!"

The final straw was pulled when, out of nowhere, the Gem Shark burst from beneath the waves. It's huge maw spread wide open, it's eyes blank and angry, the roof of its mouth, its teeth, and its skin dotted with various brightly shining gemstones. It's blasted its way through the water, sailing towards the beach like a missile.

Mayor Dewey screamed in fear and fell back onto his butt. " _THAT THING'S AS BIG AS THAT STATUE OVER THE UNIVERSE KIDS HOUSE!_ "

The Gem Shark leapt into the air, trying to pounce down on the metal in the water below. But, before it could land, it received a giant, icy fist right in the nose that sent it sailing back into the depths.

Lapis growled and rose into the air, using her power to summon two gigantic arms made of water. The Shark breached the surface once more and roared at Lapis. Lapis screamed back at it. "GIVE ME BACK MY FRIENDS!"

And then, she and the Shark clashed. Lapis's water hands latching on to the corners of the Shark's mouth and holding it at bay. Lapis let loose a primal scream and summoned a third hand, grabbing the shark by its tail and lifting it from the water. And then, with a flick of her wrist, she sent the beast skipping across the water like a stone before summoning a forth water limb, this one a leg, and delivering a massive kick to the jaw.

Lapis turned to Pearl and held out her hand. Pearl flinched. "Wh-"

Lapis confidently smiled. "Come on Pearl! Let's go get them back!"

Pearl returned the smile and summoned her spear. "Okay then. Let's go!"

Pearl leapt onto Lapis's back, wrapping her arm around the blue Gems neck. Lapis turned to Steven, Connie, and Pink Hair. "You three keep the beach clear of people! I don't want anyone getting hurt by accident. Cool?"

Steven, Connie and Pink Hair all smiled. Connie nodded. "Yes ma'am! We'll do our best!"

Lapis nodded and she and Pearl took off, soaring away at high speeds and and chasing after the Gem Shark. Lapis clenched her teeth and summoned five more water hands, grabbing the Gem Shark by the tail and flinging it into the air.

The Lazuli roared and pulled another column of water and freezing it into a frozen javelin. She reared back and tossed the icy spear forward, only for the Gem Shark to turn midair and bite down on it. Lapis quickly shifted out of the way and glared down at the Shark as it landed back in the water. "Pearl! I'll distract it from a distance, you get up close and try to inflict some damage! Okay?!"

Pearl nodded and leapt from Lapis's back, tossing her spear at the shark and piercing its head with it. The beast howled in anger and Pearl quickly manuevered out of the way of a swipe from the beasts tail.

Pearl landed on the surface of the water and slapped her Gem, summoning 10 Holo-Pearl's to her side. She turned to them and shouted. "Holo-Pearls! Enemy engage! Training Level: Grand Master!"

The Holo-Pearl's all turned to the Gem Shark, their eyes turning crimson red and their voices speaking in legion. "Training Mode Initiated. Level Grand Mastery. Begin!"

Pearl summoned a spear and her Holo-Pearls all summoned blades to attack with. And then, the eleven of them all charged at the Gem Shark.

Like a hurricane of blades, they descended on the beast, running up and down its sides and attacking its fins and eyes and tail with extreme prejudice. The laid down as much damage as they could muster all at once and stealthily avoided the beasts attacks.

As Pearl and her miniature army continued their onslaught, they were all relived with the support they were getting from the air. At this point, were Pearl and her troops alone, the Shark would have probably eaten them by now. Luckily, Pearl had Lapis, and Lapis was angry.

The blue Gem kept the onslaught of the sea going against her foe. She summoned massive spires of water, slamming them down onto the Shark and either knocking it back or freezing it solid. The best part, the monster was too busy to solely focus on using its power to combat Lapis.

Lapis took every advantage she could get her hands on, slinging blades of thin water and weaving restraints around the beast when she could. As she attacked the monster, Pearl followed up below with several well-placed attacks of her own.

The two Gems occasionally exchanged looks with one another as they fought on, exchanging commands and battle strategies with nothing more than their eyes as they flitted around the battlefield and did damage.

They knew they couldn't fail. Even if they were the most fragile of each of their respective teams, they couldn't let the stronger members down. They had to come out and take care of business for the sake of their friends. So, with fire in their eyes, they continued their massive assault.

 _And yet, it wasn't enough._

Despite all of the effort they were putting in, despite all of the strategy they were employing, despite all of the power that the two of them packed, Lapis with her water and Pearl with her Holo-Pearls, they weren't even making a dent in the beast.

If let loose another mighty roar and broke the icy chains Lapis had wrapped around it. And then, lightning quick, it swung around and dragged its tail across the surface of the water. Pearl dodged, but all of her Holo-Pearls were annihilated. Their broken pieces fell to the ground and poofed, speaking in legion once more as they fell. "Defeat accepted."

Forming a column of water under Pearl's feet, Lapis propelled the thin Gem into the air and caught her on her back.

But, before either could get their bearings, the Gem Shark breached from the water, its jaws agape, and tried to chomp down on Pearl and Lapis. Lapis grunted and summoned a massive hand made of water, smashing the Shark on its nose and sending it crashing down to the water below.

Believing the monster to be gone for just a moment, Lapis sighed and turned to Pearl. "So, what do we do now? Because...I'm giving it my all here...short of destroying the planet, I've hit my limit..."

Pearl nodded and glared down at the water. "I...I don't..."

Pearl looked back towards the shore. In the distance, she saw Steven, Connie, and her secret girlfriend all trying their best to keep the beach clear of people. Her gaze shifted from them to the Temple. "Maybe we could get the Quartzine-"

Pearl shook her head. "No. That wouldn't work..."

Lapis glanced back at the Gem on her back. "Pearl, not to rush you...but we need a plan and we need one fast..."

Pearl glanced back at the Temple again. She just stared at it for a moment, trying to think of a way to handle this problem. The Gem Shark was tough. Tougher than any weapon the Homeworld had sent so far. The fact that Jasper, Garnet, or Amethyst hadn't reformed and busted free of its stomach by now proved that.

Pearl thought and thought. And then, it hit her!

Pearl had an idea...but she didn't like it. She didn't like it for a couple of reasons. First of all...she was sure that Lapis would hate it. And, second of all, she didn't know Lapis well enough to consider suggesting this at all appropriate.

But, swallowing a lump in her throat, Pearl quickly coughed up her solution. " _cough_ FUSION _cough_..."

Lapis's eyes widened. "WHAT?!"

Pearl shied away slightly. "I...am...suggesting Fusion. Maybe...just maybe...if we fused, our combined power would be enough to put that thing down..."

Lapis's pupils shrank. She was speechless, well and truly speechless. "Pearl...I..."

Pearl frowned. Lapis shook her head. "I'm barely even comfortable to fuse with Peridot if we don't have to! And I _live with her!_ "

Pearl silently looked away, feeling bad enough for even suggesting it. After what happened with Jasper...Pearl knew that bringing that up was probably in poor taste. But, she also knew they had no choice.

And, going by the look on Lapis's face, the blue Gem knew as well.

Lapis uncomfortably shifted. Her thoughts, racing at top speed, quickly went to Jasper and Peridot. If she didn't do something...she might never see them again.

Lapis clenched her fist tight and bit her bottom lip in frustration. She was searching her head for any other solution she could think of...but she was drawing a blank. She raggedly sighed and shook her head. And then, after taking a moment, Lapis nodded.

Pearl flinched in shock. Lapis kept her head bowed, her eyes hidden by her hair, and nodded again in confirmation. "If that's they only way to save them..."

Lapis didn't lift her head. "Then...let's do it. I guess..."

Pearl gasped. But then, quickly gaining her composure, she nodded. "Right. Let's go. And, don't worry Lapis, I promise I'll be gentle..."

Lapis tensed up. Pearl grabbed the Lazuli's free hand and gripped it tight. "And I promise that we'll end this as quickly as possible. Okay? We're just doing this to save Garnet and Amethyst and Jasper and Peridot!"

Lapis silently nodded, her voice barely a whisper. "Okay..."

Pearl frowned. She could sense the hesitation. She could sense the fear. She remembered back to the Attack of the Rubies and what Jasper had said. Peridot, being who she was, allowed the both of them a level of freedom they didn't feel they had by themselves. She was the only person that Lapis or Jasper had fused with since Malachite had happened. She offered them something. She offered a level of trust that neither Jasper nor Lapis had in anyone else, not even one another.

Pearl shook her head. She knew that she couldn't offer that. But, she loosened her grip on Lapis's hand, ever so slightly, and smiled. "I know this can be scary. But, I promise you-"

Lapis bluntly interrupted. "Let's...just get this over with..."

Pearl nodded. "Okay. Okay...whatever you want..."

Pearl grabbed Lapis's hands and they did and elegant, midair dance. The two of them looked like graceful butterflies, floating through the air with Lapis's abilities. Lapis sighed and gave Pearl a toss into the air. And then, quickly following up, she shot forward and rammed chest first into the other Gem.

Back on the beach, Steven, Connie, and Pink Hair were all trying to keep the people pushed back on the beach. Nobody quite seemed to understand what was going on, but they were all trying to push past the three of them to see the action unfold.

Pink Hair growled under her breath as some random guy, trying to shove past her, accidently smacked her in the face. She turned to Steven and Connie and saw the both of them struggling as well. Pink Hair shook her head and grunted. "How do you think they're doing back there?"

Steven swallowed a lump in his throat. "You mean...you haven't looked either..."

Pink Hair shook her head. "I've been busy!"

Connie shook her head. "I...I haven't had a chance to look yet either. I mean...I've heard things..."

Pink Hair shoved Kofi Pizza back and nodded. "I've heard a lot of things too. Not all of them things I enjoyed hearing. But-"

Steven, Connie, and Pink Hair all jumped at the sound of a flashbang behind them. As an intense light bathed the beach, the three of them turned and gasped at the sight of the glowing ball of light in the air. They all watched on as something began to take form.

Pink Hair was in awe. "Wh-what's happening? Did the Shark do something?!"

Connie shook her head, staring in shock. "No..."

Pink Hair turned to the two awestruck kids. "Then...what's happening?!"

Steven's mouth was agape, his irises having gone star-shaped. "They FUSED...!"

Pink Hair glanced back into the air, staring in awe, and with a bit of jealousy, as Lapis and Pearl slowly fused together. After a moment, she posed a question. "Why...why are they taking so long?"

Connie frowned. "If I had to guess...they're having a bit of trouble. Those two have never fused before from what I know..."

The human girl tightly gripped her fist. "And I can't imagine that Lapis if very comfortable letting someone so...unfamiliar...blend with her like that..."

Up in the air, the Fusion was going slow. Lapis and Pearl could feel themselves becoming one. They could feel themselves inside each other. Pearl's consciousness was trying to comfort Lapis, but Lapis wasn't having it. Even if she was forcing herself to do this...doing whatever it took to save Jasper and Peridot...her skin was still crawling as the process of melding slowly went along.

Pearl tried to keep the peace in the situation. She tried to convey to Lapis that it was okay. She tried to convey that they wouldn't have to be like this for long. And, slowly, the process went along. Things were going well. Pearl could feel their minds merging and creating something new, something exciting. They were going to save their friends together.

And then, by surprise, the Gem Shark leapt from the water. It roared at the top of its lungs as it rammed into the developing Fusion, blasting the two fusees apart and leaving them both dazed.

On the beach, Connie, Steven, and Pink Hair all gasped in shock. As Pearl and Lapis plummeted down, the Shark followed them. It's maw spread wide open and ready to bite.

Regaining her senses at the last second, Lapis summoned a pair of wings and quickly moved out of the way. However, Pearl wasn't so lucky. Right as she came back into it, her eyes snapped wide open with fear and the teeth crashed down on her. The Gem Shark fell back into the water and the water went still.

Pearl was gone.

Steven and Connie both turned and looked at Pink Hair. The look on her face was devastating. A terrible combination of fear, sadness, and rage covered her every feature.

Pink Hair's knees trembled. And then, releasing all of those negative emotions with a furious scream, she ran to the water. Connie and Steven followed her as tears streamed down her face, both of them trying to fight back tears themselves.

Lapis stared at the water in horror. She...it took a minute for her to register what had just occurred. And then, in a screaming rage, she shot herself towards the sea, summoning two giant hands of water. "SPIT HER OUT!"

Lapis slammed both watery fists in the area where the Shark had gone down, splitting the sea in two. But, as she looked down, she saw nothing. Lapis's irises shrank as the stared in the spot. Her rage had near blinded her. "But, where-"

Lapis gasped and turned in the air just in time to see the Gem Shark's throat closing in on her. Before she could do anything, the multiple layers of teeth slammed down on her, poofing her and sending her Gem to the depths of the beasts stomach.

Steven, Connie, and Pink Hair stopped and gasped in horror as the Gem Shark landed back in the water. The watched, stunned silent, as the beast rocketed to the giant scrap metal lure they had made and quickly ate every last bit of detritus. And then, its job fulfilled, the Gem Shark swam in the opposite direction, heading out to the outer ocean with the Crystal Gems and the Barn Gems trapped in its gut.

Watching the shark swim away, with her lover in its stomach, Pink Hair ran out into the water. She took a deep, angry breath and furiously screamed after the beast. " _GET BACK HERE WITH OUR FRIENDS!_ "

She was ignored. Pink Hair snarled and reached behind her, pulling the spear Pearl had made for her and giving it the best javelin toss she could muster.

As the spear sailed through the air, Pink Hair shouted again. " _YOU BRING THEM BACK RIGHT NOW!_ "

The spear soared through the air, arcing down and eventually finding a home in the Gem Shark's flank. The beast turned around in the water and glared back at its attacker. And, with an angry glint, its eyes widened. The Gem Shark stared at Pink Hair, its lips curling up into a furious sneer. And then, slowly, it began to swim back to the beach. The Gem Shark growled under its breath as it began to build momentum. This was a problem, a BIG problem.

The Shark glared at Pink Hair as it continued to swim. Specifically, it stared at the last bit of metal in this section of the ocean: Pink Hair's lip ring!

The Gem Shark roared at the top of its lungs! And then, with enough momentum behind it, it charged at full-speed. The beast rocketed across the water, aiming at the last piece of metal that stood in its way. The beasts jaws popped open wide, a ghastly roar sending shockwaves across the beach.

Pink Hair stood firm, reaching down into the water and grabbing a large rock. With fire in her eyes, reared winded up and prepared to cast the stone into the monsters throat.

Steven and Connie both stared on in horror. Connie screamed for Pink Hair to get out of the water. Steven, not knowing what else to do, charged out towards the water, hoping to make it in time to provide a shield to protect her.

As the monster jetted towards her, its mouth wide open, Pink Hair's mouth fell agape. This was the first time she had seen the thing up close and it was absolutely massive! The human woman, feeling absolutely miniscule, squeezed her eyes shut and gripped her stone tight.

The Gem Shark let loose one last epic roar and Pink Hair roared right back at it, tossing her rock as hard as she could. " _GIVE ME MY PEARL BACK!_ "

And then, nothing.

Pink Hair stood there, ankle deep in water. She was trembling in terror as she expected the Gem Shark's teeth to crash down on her at any second. But, that second never came.

After a moment, Pink Hair slowly opened one eye, only to be blinded by a shining light. She groaned to herself and shook her head. "Oh...am I...am I dead? Is that the-"

"HEY!"

Pink Hair flinched. That was Steven's voice. She turned in the water towards the sound and cracked her eyes open. And, when she did, she saw three things: Steven, Connie, and her shadow stretching all the way back to the edge of the sand. Pink Hair cocked her head. "What happened?"

Connie, staring in awe, silently pointed past Pink Hair. The woman turned around, wondering what Connie was looking at, and reacted with awe as well. She, Steven, and Connie all gaped at the sight of the Gem Shark.

The Gem Shark had stopped short of the shore, its momentum halted. The creature looked utterly confused at what had just happened. As confused as the humans standing below it. Muffled roars echoed from the corners of the beasts mouth as it flopped back and forth, trying to regain control of itself. But, it was to no avail. As even the Gem Shark could not fight against the MASSIVE glowing arm sticking out of its mouth.

And then, to the shock of Steven, Connie, Pink Hair, and the monster, another arm bursted forth from the monsters mouth. And then another. And another. And another. And another. And another. And another. And another. And another. And another. And another. And another. And another. Soon enough, 14 glowing arms were jutting from the Gem Shark's stretched out giant mouth. These arms each gripped onto what they had grabbed, sinking their nails into sand and rock. And then, they began to pull.

Steven, Connie, and Pink Hair all took a step back as this new, glowing entity dragged itself out of the beasts mouth. They stared on as the new beings head emerged from the sharks mouth. As first, it looked serene, all thirteen of its glowing eyes glimmering with muted light.

But then, as it was half way out, its torso dragging across the sand, the new being screamed at the top of its lungs. Its seven mouth all spread open into sneer of utter disdain or frowns of pure horror. The beings body glowed even brighter than it did before...but then, in a massive explosion of light, the being seperated

The force of the seperation was strong enough the the Gem Shark was blasted away. It's body tumbled across the surface of the water, eventually breaking through the surface and sinking down.

Steven, Connie, and Pink Hair all stared upwards. The watched as, to their delight, seven Gems flew through the air. Red, Orange, Green, two Blues, Purple and White gemstones flew through the air, all of them eventually hitting the ground and then bursting with light.

The three of them shielded their eyes from the sudden flash. But, when they opened them, nobody saw what they were expecting. Steven and Connie both smiled, but Pink Hair was confused. "Who are these two?"

Steven smiled and cheered. "Alexandrite!"

Connie chuckled and waved at the other one. "Rainbow Variscite!"

The two kids and Pink Hair all ran up to the two massive fusions, both of them sitting in the sand. Alexandrite immediately stood up and gave Steven a loving pat on the head. Rainbow Variscite stared down at Connie, totally confused as the human girl hugged her giant wrist. "H-hello...I don't believe we've met before..."

Connie smiled up at her. "What are you talking about? We've met before! Back at Bridget's ship!"

Rainbow Variscite stared down at Connie, she appeared to be wracking her brain for information. Finally, after taking a moment to observe, she gasped. "Oh...wait...in my memories..."

She reached down and brushed Connie's hair out of her face with her index finger. "Y-yes...you are...the 'Onnie' in Ms. Stevonnie, right?"

Connie nodded and smiled wide. "Yes ma'am! That would be me!"

Steven chuckled and ran up to Rainbow Variscite, hugging her massive leg. "And I'm the 'Stev'!"

Rainbow Variscite nodded. "Y-yes...Stev...stev...stev..."

Rainbow Variscite grabbed her head in pain. Her seemed to be gelling together about as well as it had last time. She shook her head and sighed. "I'm...I'm sorry...I...this was so...sudden..."

Steven smiled. "It's okay! My name is Steven!"

Connie smirked and nodded. "And I'm Connie!"

The two of them looked at one another and smiled. "And together we are-"

Steven and Connie grabbed each others hand and instantly fused together. The Fusion of the two smiled wide and chuckled. " _STEVONNIE!_ "

Rainbow Variscite smiled. "Oh! Miss Stevonnie...I...I'm sorry that I didn't remember..."

Stevonnie snickered and waved it off. "Don't worry about it! You're still new at this whole 'existing' thing! I wasn't much better when I was first concieved!"

Rainbow Variscite shyly nodded. "Oh...o-of course..."

The meek Fusion turned her attention to the other Fusion standing next to her. "Hello...Al..."

Alexandrite smiled. "-exandrite. Alexandrite dear."

Alexandrite reached down and gently took Rainbow Variscite's hand, helping her to her feet. Rainbow Variscite smiled. "So...Miss Alexandrite...why are we here today? Are we going to spend time together? I'd love to go and see more of the world..."

Rainbow Variscite turned and saw the crowd of people gather in front of the beach. All of her mouths smiled wide and she waved at the people with three of her hands. "Hi! It's...very nice to meet you!"

The adults of Beach City all looked slightly weirded out. As did Peedee Fryman. But, the Cool Kids, Ronaldo, and Onion all happily waved back at the new Fusion.

Rainbow Variscite's eyes widened, her irises going star-shaped. "Are those humans? They're... _they're so nice!_ "

She smiled wide and turned back to looking absolutely thrilled. "Miss Alexandrite! I-I.'m sorry to ask but...may I go over and see them up close?!"

Alexandrite sighed and sadly shook her head. "Not at the moment..."

Rainbow Variscite sighed in disappointment. She followed Alexandrite's finger as it pointed out to sea and flinched at the sight of the angry Gem Shark bursting forth from the depths. The monster roared and charged the shore, its mouth wide open.

Rainbow Variscite sighed. " _...why do I only ever get called forth to deal with mean things...?_ "

Alexandrite frowned and placed her hand on Rainbow Variscite's upper shoulder. Variscite glanced at the older fusion and Alexandrite smiled. "I promise you. Next time you're summoned into existence, we'll have a nicer time, okay?"

Rainbow Variscite meekly nodded. "O-okay..."

Alexandrite nodded back. "Good. Then prepare yourself. It will be up to you to deal the finishing blow!"

Rainbow Variscite nodded and Alexandrite turned to the water. The Gem Shark was looming large, but Alexandrite didn't care. Acting quickly, she summoned Sardonyx's War Hammer and Opal's Bow. Loading the hammer into the bow, Alexandrite sneered at the Gem Shark. "Time to put you down..."

And then, she fire the Hammer Arrow. The projectile shot forth, wreathed in energy, and smashed into the Gem Shark, the momentum of it carrying the beast into the air.

Rainbow Variscite sighed. She pulled a giant sheet of water from the ocean and, using her Ferrokinesis, she held the Gem Shark in the air by the metal balled up in its stomach. She sadly glanced up at the writhing beast and silently shook her head. And then, she smashed three of her fists into the water, sending a hail of icy needles firing into the air and sticking the Gem Shark like a pin cushion.

The beast screamed in rage as Rainbow Variscite turned to it. The Fusion looked absolutely distraught as she stared up at the creature. Variscite mouthed an apology to the Gem Shark, and then she activated her Ultimate Attack.

At first, she simply summoned a larger version of Jasper's Crash Helmet. But then, quickly, the helmet began to grow down Rainbow Variscite's body until she was completely covered in a full set of Crash Armor.

Alexandrite nodded and summoned Sardonyx's War Hammer, Sugilite's Flail, and Opal's Bow, forming them together into Javelin-Bola Crossbow. The two Fusions nodded at one another and then they both leapt into final action.

Rainbow Variscite shot towards the flailing Gem Shark like a missile, followed closely behind by the Javelin-Bola from Alexandrite. The two speeding objects quickly made it to their target, colliding with the Gem Shark and making a massive explosion.

Rainbow Variscite landed on the ground, her Crash Armor falling to pieces with the impact, and then she and Alexandrite quickly turned. Acting fast, they rapidly Bubbled every one of the thousands of Gems that made up the Gem Shark, sending them all away.

The two Fusions both sighed as the last of the Bubbles poofed away. It was over. They had won!

Almost immediately, Alexandrite and Rainbow Variscite both seperated back into their component Gems. Once they did, Lapis and Jasper immediately took to glaring at Garnet and Pearl. Garnet and Pearl did the same.

Amethyst and Peridot both sat in the middle, totally confused, as their teammates glared holes through one another.

Lapis raggedly sighed. "Pearl...no offense, but..."

Jasper was much more blunt. " _DON'T EVER TRY TO FUSE WITH_ _ **ME**_ _AGAIN!_ "

Garnet sneered. "Wasn't my first choice..."

Pearl sighed. "We just...did it to...save our lives, Jasper..."

Jasper roared at Pearl. "Well I don't-"

The Quartz's eyes rolled into the back of her head. "Oh..."

And then, without warning, all six of them poofed away, leaving just their Gems sitting in the sand. The B-Team and the Crystal Gems were both totally exhausted. But, at least the beach was finally safe.

Pink Hair, Connie, and Steven quickly went and gathered their friends Gems, retreating to Steven's house as the final day of Beach Fest got underway.

 _Later that evening, on the Beach..._

Everyone in Beach City was gathered on the beach for the main event of the evening: Sour Cream's Synesthesia Rave Set. Despite the lack of fish having been caught, the banquet went off without a hitch. Fishstew Pizza, Fryman's, and the Big Donut were all quick to provide food at a (very small) discount.

Mayor Dewey sat in the sand, moaning to himself as he handed out the very last of his profits to the angry crowd of people gathered in front of him. Not only did he have to pay the restaurant for the food, alongside all of the medical bills, but he had to shell out the rest of the money to pay for all of the cars and boats that had been destroyed. Not to mention Mr. Smiley charging him for the building that was wrecked in the fight, conviently leaving out how he was planning to tear it down anyways.

Kevin and his posse all watched the concert from the parking lot in front of the beach. He was quickly to brag to his boys that he was too cool to hang out amongst the rabble, but it was clear to nearly everyone else that he was terrified of running into Jasper once more.

Nearer to the stage, as close to the speakers as they could get without hurting their ears, Connie and Steven had fun dancing with one another, laughing the whole time. Connie chuckled and grabbed Steven by the arm, swinging him around as she had fun dancing the night away.

Sitting slightly adjacent, Connie's parents both watched on, clearly happy that their daughter was having such a good time.

On the other side of the stage, Lars and Sadie sat together on a blanket with Barb and Lars's parents. Lars was clearly embarassed to have to be so close to Sadie in front of all of their parents, but Sadie didn't care. She had spent most of the last day of Beach Fest in the hospital. Now that she was back, she just wanted to ignore the throbbing in her ankle and try to have a good time before she tracked down Steven to heal her. She had work the next morning, so she wanted to have as much fun as possible before then.

Sitting in the middle of a crowd of people, completely unassuming, Garnet, Pearl, Amethyst, and Pink Hair watched the concert together. Despite Pearl's best attempts to hide what was going on, Garnet and Amethyst weren't blind. But, both of them stiffled back their snickering as Pink Hair wrapped her arm around Pearl's shoulder and, in Pearl's words, "whisper interesting facts about human culture into her ear".

Amethyst turned to Garnet and frowned. "Hey, Garnet...?"

Garnet turned to her. "Yes?"

Amethyst frowned, the concern showing on her face. "What about the dreams? I mean...what do those even mean? What's going on?"

Garnet frowned as well, shaking her head. "I...I can't say. White Diamond, even before Rose poofed her, was always an enigma. What she's doing in our dreams...I can't tell you for sure. For now, we just have to stay alert and count our lucky stars the Earth hasn't been blown up from deep orbit yet..."

Amethyst sighed. "Well...that sucks. I don't like the thought of someone constantly watching me. Especially when we don't have your Future Vision to watch out for us..."

Feigning a bit of relief, Garnet quickly quelled Amethyst's fears. "It's okay. My Future Vision is all better now."

Amethyst cocked her head. "Really? Like...just out of nowhere?"

Garnet nodded. "Yup. All of the static that was once there is gone. My head is clear again."

Amethyst smiled and turned her attention back to the music. "Well, that's good I guess..."

With Amethyst distracted, Garnet's smile fell from her face. While the news of Future Vision being fixed was good news for everyone else, Garnet saw an inherent problem in it. White Diamond's laugh was finally out of her head...but why? Where did it go? Why... _did it just suddenly stop_?

Finally, over near the lifeguard tower, Lapis, Peridot, and Jasper all sat on a Crying Breakfast Friends beach towel that Steven had lent them.

Peridot was perfectly content, ignoring the music in favor of digging for seashells in the sand. Jasper, wearing Lapis's sun hat, was leaned back with her eyes closed. She was just happy to finally get some rest. Lapis, wearing Jasper's sunglasses, glanced at Connie and Steven, and then the Crystal Gems, and the Peridot, and then Jasper. She smiled. It was nice that everyone was having a good time.

As the music played, Lapis laid back next to Jasper and happily sighed. "Thanks Jasper."

Jasper's eye snapped open and she glanced over at Lapis. "Don't mention it...I just saw that you were having some trouble, so I decided to motivate you. That's all. And, even if some people might not see it as great advice, 'get angry' is that mantra I've used to conquer planets before, so I knew it would help in some way..."

Lapis chuckled and shook her head. "Jasper..."

Lapis's voice fell to a soft whisper, only audible to herself and the Quartz next to her. "...we both know that you didn't tell me to 'get angry'..."

Both of Jasper's eyes snapped open and, as she began to blush, a nervous expression broke out across her face. Lapis rolled onto her side and looked the Quartz in the eye, a content smirk on her face. "You can't lie about what you said to someone to the person you said it to..."

Jasper squirmed uncomfortably. "Look, Lapis, I-"

Lapis interrupted, placing a staying hand on Jasper's bicep. "Look. What you said is between us. It will always be between us...but I just want you to know, Jasper..."

Lapis raised up her free fist, motioning towards Jasper. "I'm really glad you picked our side to stick with. You're a really good friend!"

As Lapis smiled at her, Jasper smiled back. After a moments hesitation, she returned the fist bump to the blue Gem. "Anytime."

As Sour Cream's rave continued as background noise, Lapis rolled onto her back and stared into the sky. "You know...I'm not going to pretend I get why you constantly stare at it...but I do enjoy looking at the Moon. It might be one of the most beautiful things this miserable planet has on it..."

Jasper smiled and stared up at the Moon as well, her gaze falling right where Pink Diamond's outpost would be. "Yeah...I agree..."


	44. Chapter 44: Black Onyx

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 44: Black Onyx**

 _A/N: Okay. Okay. Brand new Arc time! This is going to be a good one! :) I'll give the name of the Arc next Chapter, because it would kind of be a spoiler in this one. So...uh...I'd love to hear your comments on this one and, well, some of you are getting a PM after I post this! :D_

 _At the Barn..._

Connie waved goodbye to her mother as she drove away. Once she saw that the car was safely down the road, the girl turned around and smiled ear-to-ear. She had been looking forward to today ever since she had received that frantic phone call from Peridot and Steven a week ago. Connie chuckled as she walked up to the Barn, today was going to be fun.

Connie walked up to the Barn Door and pounded her fist against it. She waited a moment and smiled when she heard the lift activate. She stepped onto the lift and flipped the switch, rising up to the upper entrance hole. Connie stepped into the Barn and gazed out over the messy living quarters of her B-Team. She smiled when she saw Lapis and Peridot gathered around the coffee table in the middle of the room.

The human stepped down into the messy den of the Homeworld Gems and walked up to Lapis and Peridot, kneeling down on the floor next to them and peering over Lapis's shoulder. "So...are these the plans?"

Lapis and Peridot both smiled at Connie, both of them preening over the plans they had drawn up. Peridot nodded. "Yup. It's going to be beautiful when it's done!"

Lapis patted her hand down on the blueprints. "Uh-huh. We made a really design for it this time around! We just need the keep the angry charging beast, and Stabber, from ramming into it head first this time!"

Connie cocked her head. "Wait? Jasper knocked it over?!"

Jasper's voice called out from the kitchen. "I didn't do it on purpose! Jeez!"

Lapis turned back to the kitchen, annoyance layered in her voice. "You ran into it head first! How does that qualify as an accident?!"

Jasper stepped out from the kitchen, an Econo-Size bag of Chaaaaps! in her hand. "I was playing with Stabber!"

Peridot groaned and quickly motioned for the fight to end. "It doesn't matter! We managed to Re-Poof and Re-Bubble all of the Corrupted Gems that got away! Now we just have to rebuild the silo so that we can get all of the Bubbles out of our attic!"

Connie immediately looked up and saw the beams of blue, orange, and green light shining through the ceiling of the Barn. She turned back to Peridot. "I didn't know you guys had an attic."

Jasper plopped down on the floor behind Connie and Peridot. "I built it to store all of the Bubbles after the silo fell over. But...too much light shines through the thing..."

Lapis nodded. "Yup. Real annoying when I'm trying to read. But, like Peri said, we're going to fix all of that today!"

Lapis picked up the blueprints that she and Peridot had drawn up together. She turned to Connie, Peridot, and Jasper. "Okay B-Team! Let's go build that silo!"

 _Meanwhile, on the Outskirts of Beach County..._

 _**She had been walking so long. So very, very long. It had been so long since she had seen the others. In spite of trying to remain cheerful, she couldn't help but wonder if they were doing okay without her. They seemed to be having an easy enough time when she had set off. They were using all of the metal stuff around their little home to build shelter to stay in. They were doing well in spite of this strange new life they had been given.**_

 _ **But, Home was the farthest thing from her mind at the moment. She was close. She could feel it1**_

 _ **She glanced up and down this adorable little path she was walking down. Unlike the pathways of green that surrounded it, this path was a dark, dark gray. She giggled. It was just like her!**_

 _ **She looked up and smiled as she saw another on in the distance. Another grouping of squishy being shelters for her to visit. Maybe, just maybe, they'd be there! Maybe she had finally found them.**_

 _ **She looked up at a sign stuck in the green next to the dark gray pathway. "B...B...Beeeee..."**_

 _ **In spite of her travels, she had still yet to fully grasp what those symbols on the signs meant. A nice squishy being at the last shelter group had tried to teach her a bit, but she still hadn't fully grasped it. She looked up at the sign again.**_

 _ **BEACH CITY – CITY LIMITS**_

 _ **She scratched her head. "Beeee...Ack. K-k-k-k...KAI-TIE. KAI...TIE...LIE-MITS..."**_

 _ **She smiled wide. "Bee-Ack Kai-Tie – Kai-Tie Lie-Mits!"**_

 _ **She nodded to herself and chuckled. "Maybe they'll be here!"**_

 _Back at the Barn..._

Connie took a deep breath and, using her knees, hefted the heavy sack of concrete powder from the ground. Connie braced up and stomped over to the giant mixing pot that Lapis had filled with water. The blue Gem cocked an eyebrow at the human girl. "Uh...are you sure you don't need help?"

Connie, slightly red in the face, shook her head and spoke through gritted teeth, struggling with the 100+ pound sack. "Nope. Nope nope nope. All..."

Connie sucked in a deep breath and took a heavy step forward. "All good here..."

Lapis was really starting to feel bad. "I mean...Steven told me that you flipped a guy once..."

Connie sucked in a deep breath through her nose. "A lot of throwing someone is momentum...but..."

Connie took the final step forward, slicing open the sack and pouring the concrete powder into the water. She gasped in relief as the heavy weight on her shoulder very quickly lessened more and more. "...but...I'm good. It's all good resistance training. And..."

Connie took a few heavy breaths. "...and Pearl and Jasper have both told me I need to be able to lift more should I ever have to use Steven's Mom's Sword on more than an easily poofed Gem Monster..."

Lapis shrugged and grabbed her metal stirring pole. "If you say so..."

Connie nodded and grabbed a stirring pole of her own, helping Lapis stir the concrete. "I'm fine Lapis. Just putting in a bit of hard work!"

Meanwhile, over near the collapsed husk of the Shatter Machine, Peridot piloted the Gem Drill into the appropriate spot. She positioned the drill bit over the area that the Shatter Machine had once been covering. The grass had turned brown from the lack of exposure to the sun. Peridot turned to Jasper. "Okay, Jasper, would you please move the pieces of the Shatter Machine so that I can start drilling?"

Jasper shrugged. "Whatever."

The Quartz reached down and grabbed the hollowed out body of the Shatter Machine, hefting onto her shoulder and carrying it to the far side of the field. Peridot called out after her. "Make sure you don't set it down on any of Andy's stuff! He says that a lot of that junk is valuable to him!"

Jasper shook her head and sighed, slamming the Shatter Machine husk down. "Whatever..."

Peridot nodded and got to work, flipping on the appropriate switches and drilling down into the dirt. She had to make the hole deep, deep enough to fill with concrete. They would need a solid foundation to build their new storage silo on top of.

Jasper grunted and went about grabbing more pieces of metal scrap. She had her own ideas for how to make this new silo of theirs great. While Peridot was digging and Lapis and Connie were mixing concrete, she sat down and began reinforcing the hastily rebuilt outer shell of the machine with pieces of the destroyed vehicles she had been stockpiling.

As she built up the outside of the structure, she glanced out at Peridot's digging job and snorted. "Hey, runt! I thought you said you knew how to dig! Keep that thing steady!"

Peridot struggled to keep her hand on the clutch of the Drill. "Nygghh...I'm trying! This Drill was built for deep excavation! I'm only digging down eight feet at the moment...so..."

The clutch snapped out of Peridot's hand and she cried out. The Drill capsized to the side and immediately began to spray dirt and mud all over the place. The mud flew out all across the barnyard. Lapis quickly reacted, shielding herself and Connie with a thin shield of water.

Jasper, however, wasn't so fortunate. Gallons of mud and dirt collided with her, covering her in muck and burying her next to the Shatter Machine husk.

After a moment, Peridot managed to get the Drill back under control and shut it off. Distraught, she peeked over the side and called out to her friend. "Jasper! Are you alright?!"

Silence.

Peridot called out again. "Jasper?!"

The ground began to rumble. And then, with a roar, Jasper exploded from the huge pile of dirt. Peridot flinched back in horror as Jasper rocketed towards her, mania in the Quartz's eyes. She squeezed her eyes shut, expecting a fist from the enraged Quartz, but was shocked when she felt a wet splat on her face.

Peridot's eyes cracked open and she gasped in horror as she saw mud cascading down her visor. Jasper loomed over her, a half-mischievious/half-sadistic smirk on her face. "Take that! How dare you cover me in muck?!"

Peridot sneered and bit her lower lip. "Oh yeah...?!"

She wiped her hand over her face and slinged the mud right back at Jasper, nailing her bigger comrade in the face and then tackling her while she was disoriented. The two of them fell into the big hole full of dirt and muck and began to thrash and wrestle with one another.

Lapis quickly turned and called out to them. "Hey you two! Cut it out! We-"

A dirt clod came flying up and smacked Lapis in the face. The blue Gem clenched her trembling fists and growled under her breath. "Oh that's it!"

Sprouting a pair of wings from her back, Lapis flew up into the air and divebombed into the mud hole, splashing down like an olympic diver and sending mud flying up over the sides.

As she heard the three Barn Gems wrestling down in the pit below, Connie could only smile and shake her head. "Well..."

Connie produced a scrunchie and tied her hair into a giant ponytail. "Guess it's break time!"

And then, laughing out loud, Connie did a running cannonball into the mud and joined her friends in their mud war.

 _Meanwhile, within the Beach City Limits..._

 _S **he glanced in wonder at all of the new sights that met her as she walked through Bee-Ack Kai-Tie. So much new and wonderous stuff to take in!**_

 _ **She had been to squishy person settlements before. They were pretty. Some of them were small and made of trees, others were big and made of metal, but...this was the first one she had ever been to with so much water next to it!**_

 _ **Taking just a small break from her search, she tumbled down the hill leading to the sandy part of the ground. She smiled wide as she ran towards the water and jumped into it, landing face first. At first, she fell completely under the surface, but then she reemerged.**_

 _ **She swished a bit of the water in her mouth and spat it back out. "That's a weird taste..."**_

 _ **She cupped her hands and took a great big gulp of the water, swishing it and spitting it back out. "Yes. Yes...a very weird taste."**_

 _ **She sat there for a minute...and then she took a third mouthful of the water, swishing it around and letting it sit for a moment before spitting it back out. "Yes. I'm sure of it. That is, indeed, a strange taste. Nothing like the water that falls from the sky back home..."**_

 _ **She grinned from ear-to-ear. "I must remember to tell the little one about this. Maybe she'll know how to replicate it..."**_

 _ **She got up from the water and walked back onto the sand, shaking herself dry. She happily sighed and reached up to her hair braid, making sure to wring all of the water out of it. She smiled as she straightened out her dress. She didn't want it to be all wrinkled if she somehow managed to find them.**_

 _ **As she walked back to the dark gray path, she stopped and stared in amazement at the sight before her. It was another one of those flying things!**_

 _ **This one was different though. It was pure white! And its beak was such a pretty shade of yellow! And it had some strange golden-brown thing hanging from its beak.**_

 _ **But...upon closer inspection...that golden-brown thing didn't appear to be part of the flying thing itself. She flinched back in surprise as the flying thing opened its beak, swallowing the golden-brown thing. And then, it stopped and stared right at her.**_

 _ **She stared back. They both just stood there for a moment, staring at one another. And then, as she tried to approach, the flying made made a noise. "SQUARWK!"**_

 _ **And then, it spread its wings and flew away. She smiled and chuckled, making the noise back. "SQUARWK!"**_

 _ **And then, as the flying thing flew over the horizon, she called out to it. "It was nice meeting you! If you ever fly over my home, tell all of them that I said hi!"**_

 _ **Finally, climbing back onto the gray path, she resumed her journey to into the squishy settlement. She could feel a sense of giddyness building in her chest as she continued to walk. She could feel it! She would probably, definitely probably, find them here!**_

 _Back at the Barn..._

Connie sighed and wiped a hefty amount of sweat from her brow as she and Peridot worked on the pieces of wood that would act as support for the new silo. She used all of her strength to tightly bind the pieces of wood together, quickly moving so that Peridot could use her Ferrokinesis to drive the nails into it.

The mud fight was fun, but now she was regretting it. They had wasted all of the coolness that the early morning brought. Now the sun was beating down on her. It was beating down hard!

Connie took a deep breath and reached for the glass of lemonade that Lapis was kind enough to bring her. "Hey, Peridot, can we take a quick break?"

Peridot nodded and grabbed her own glass of lemonade. "Of course!"

Finding a nice shady spot next to the barn, the two of them took a seat and watched on as Jasper and Lapis worked.

Using her Hydrokinesis, Lapis was slowing spreading the concrete into the recently finished hole. She was concentrating hard, trying her hardest to not allow the edges of the concrete to harden. They needed to be wet for her and Peridot's design to work.

Jasper, meanwhile, was spreading the concrete with the help of a spreading tool that Peridot had constructed. She wanted the floor of their new storage to be nice and even.

As the last of the concrete went into the hole, Jasper smiled and nodded. She quickly spread and flattened the concrete down and immediately went to grab the Shatter Machine husk. The Quartz walked back over to the concrete foundation and motioned for Peridot.

Peridot and Connie both walked over to Lapis and Jasper and listened as Jasper spoke. "Okay runt, here's the plan! You use your powers to raise this thing into the air, and then I'll carefully manuever it down. We want to make sure it's perfectly centered or we'll have to start over from scratch..."

Peridot nodded and seized control of the Shatter Machine's body, slowly raising it into the air. "Okay then, I'll leave it to you..."

Jasper nodded and stepped up to the foundation. She looked up at the metallic husk and waved her hand at Peridot. "Over a bit. Left..."

Peridot complied and Jasper watched closely, quickly throwing up her hand. "Okay stop!"

Peridot stopped and Jasper nodded. "Okay then. Lower it...slowly..."

Peridot nodded and carefully waved her hand down. The Shatter Machine's body slowly lowered to the ground to the point where Jasper could reach up and touch it. Together, the two of them carefully led the Shatter Machine's hollowed out body down to the concrete and softly touched it down perfectly into the circle.

Jasper flashed the a-okay sign at Peridot. "Good. Now, carefully, push it down a little. We want to make sure it sinks down so that it can't be so easily knocked over..."

Peridot complied and, with a bit of force, pressed the body into the ground. Jasper nodded. "Okay. Now...give it a little twist..."

Peridot complied. Being very careful, she twisted the Shatter Machine's body until she heard a subtle crunching noise. Peridot smiled. "Okay! Perfect!"

Jasper nodded. "Yup. Now, Lapis!"

Lapis sighed and nodded. "I'm on it."

Lapis walked around the silo to the opening that served as the door. She reached in and, with some effort, she pulled all of the leftover water out of the concrete, instantly hardening it. "Okay then. Concrete's dry. Now we just have to proof it!"

Jasper cracked her neck. "I can handle that."

Lapis moved out of the way and Jasper stood at the opening to the newly erected silo. The Quartz took a deep breath, her stomach expanding out wide, and then she belched out a giant stream of flames. The fire spread out over the concrete foundation and quickly cooked it, turning it a clean, pristine white.

Jasper spat the excess flames out of her mouth and smirked. "Okay then. Base building done. Now we just have to add on the extras!"

The three Gems turned and saw Connie standing there, looking genuinely impressed. "Wow..."

Lapis cocked her head. "What?"

Connie shook her head. "Nothing. It's just...well...your powers have a lot more practical uses that I had ever imagined they'd have..."

Peridot shrugged. "I mean...everything has some kind of practical use. The Gems just don't use their powers for mundane stuff as much as we do."

Connie nodded. "Yeah. That's true. It's just...kinda cool to see Gem powers get used for things like that!"

Jasper smirked. "Well, glad we could impress. But, we're burning daylight! It's already past noon. We need to hurry up and get the rest of this stuff done."

Lapis, Connie, and Peridot all nodded and then the four of them went about their work.

Jasper and Lapis grabbed the last of the concrete and quickly spread it around the outside of the building, making sure that it was completely sealed to the ground from both sides. Once they had formed a solid ring, Lapis removed the water and Jasper proofed the concrete with her fire breath.

Once they were done, Peridot went in behind them, driving metal rebar through the Shatter Machine's hollowed out torso and into the ground, safely anchoring it down.

Connie, meanwhile, went back over to the wooden supports that she and Peridot had built together, grabbing two of them and dragging them over to the silo. Handing them off to Jasper, Connie watched as the Quartz raised them up, pressing them against the outside of the silo and allowing Peridot to screw them in place.

After Peridot had finished that task, she and Connie went back to work and built the final wooden supports they had put off. As they churned them out, Jasper took the supports and carried them over to the silo, putting them into their proper spots both within and on the outside of the silo. Now all they needed was for Peridot to screw them in place.

While the other three were busy building support beams, Lapis took a hammer and some nail, alongside several sheets of metal that Jasper had pulled off of other things, and made short work of patching up the last of the holes in the metallic husks surface.

As she did this, she couldn't help but smile at the joyous tone of Jasper's voice as she placed wooden supports inside the silo. "It's roomier in here than I thought it would be!"

Patching the last hole, Lapis dropped to the ground and joined Jasper inside the silo. After a moment, Peridot and Connie joined them dragging the final support inside.

For a moment, the four members of the B-Team just stood there, smiling at their work. They had done a good job!

Lapis looked up, seeing the rather sharp looking spikes at the top of the silo. She frowned as Jasper, Connie, and Peridot mounted the final support. "Hey...won't those spikes pop any Bubbles that touch them?"

Peridot nodded. "Of course. They are pretty sharp! But, after thinking about it for a bit, I had an idea!"

Peridot scurried out of the silo and then, after a loud crashing noise, she came running back, hefting some giant contraption with her Ferrokinesis. Lapis cocked her head. "What's that thing?"

Peridot smiled. 'It's the Phase Shield Generator from the Faceter. Seeing as I don't think we'll need the Faceter anymore, we might as well use its parts for something, right?"

Carefully, Peridot raised the Phase Shield Generator into the air and drove several screws and pieces of rebar into it. And then, after mounting it as well, Peridot turned on the power source and smiled as the shield flared to life, covering the entire ceiling of the silo with a soft, blue light.

Jasper, as well, smiled at the sight of it. She pounded her left fist into her right hand and nodded. "Good. Now we can get those things out of our house!"

Inside the Barn...

Lapis carefully helped Connie up into the attic as Peridot and Jasper both walked up to the solid wall of Bubbled Gems that rested up in the upper room. Connie's eyes widened at the sight of it all. "Wow...there's so many!"

Lapis sighed in tired frustration at the sight of them. "Uh-huh..."

The B-Team all stood there and examined the hundreds of Bubbled Gems that filled the Barn's recently built attic. Their eyes shifted from Gem to Gem, picking out ones they recognized.

Lapis sneered at all of the Bubbled up Aquamarine Gems that floated about. Peridot cringed at the single, loan Peridot Gem hovering in the upper left corner. Connie stared with a noticable sadness at each and every one of the Gems that she had been responsible for marking off of the list as she, Peridot, Lapis, and Steven recaptured them. And Jasper, with a mixture of sadness and anger on her face, darted her eyes from Bubble to Bubble, marking off each of the five members of the Ruby Squad. Of all the Gems released when she capsized the silo before, she was glad that those five Bubbles didn't pop for a number of reasons.

Noticing the look on Jasper's face, Connie sighed. "I...I can't say I don't feel bad for them."

Jasper flinched, turning to Connie. Connie shook her head. "Well, at least four of them..."

Peridot groaned under her breath. "Doc never saw that coming. I...I wish there was something we could have done to help her..."

Lapis shook her head. "I feel bad for Navy and Leggy...they didn't want to be a part of any of that. And Chrysocolla...ugh..."

Jasper grunted. "And the one with the Gem on her arm was just following orders from what I can tell..."

A moment of silence. And then Connie spoke. "Should we at least let the three reasonable ones out? Maybe we can-"

Jasper quickly cut Connie off, solemnly shaking her head. "No. Not right now. Maybe later, but...I don't even know what to say to them..."

Jasper took a deep breath. "Let's just teleport all of these Bubbles to the silo! I'm hungry and I want to go get some donuts!"

Peridot and Lapis both nodded. And then, splaying out their hands, the B-Team teleported all of their Bubbled Gems from the attic to the silo. The process was instant, each of the Bubbles rapidly popping out of existance.

Once the room was empty, Lapis sighed. "Well, at least we'll be able to sleep now. Now there won't be a bunch of bright lights shining down on us..."

Connie smiled. "Well, I'm glad to hear that!"

Jasper nodded. "Uh-huh. We don't need sleep...but it'll be nice to finally be able to do it without something disturbing us..."

Connie nodded. "Good...good...so, I take it that the White Diamond dreams stopped for all of you too?"

Everyone fell silent. They all stood there, looking utterly uncomfortable. Finally, Peridot spoke up. "We...don't know what to say on that. I mean...I..."

Jasper was blunt. "The dreams have stopped. But...the fact that they just...stopped...is kind of unnerving..."

Peridot nodded in agreement. "The fact that they aren't there anymore is almost as chilling as when they were there...and the fact that Garnet's Future Vision just suddenly works again too...something just feels...off..."

Reading the amounts of sheer discomfort in the room, Lapis sighed and changed the subject. "That's besides the main point at the moment! Let's just focus on today for now!"

Lapis stepped out of line and stood in front of the other three, a content smile on her face. "We managed to get the silo done in just a day! And it's better than ever! Now...now we need to go get celebration donuts!"

Slowly, the fear melted off of Peridot, Jasper, and Connie's face and they smiled. Lapis nodded. "Good! That's what I like to see! Now, let me go get some money out of the safe and let's go to the Big Donut!"

 _Near Beach City Arcade..._

 _**She stood there on the lighter gray pathway, ignoring the metal creatures rolling behind her. She had seen many of the metal creatures before, most of them roaring at her when they saw her walking down the darker gray path, but she had never seen anything like these before.**_

 _ **She read the letters on the sign hanging above this mysterious flashing light room. "Bee-Ack Kai-Tie..."**_

 _ **She was able to read the first two words on the sign easily by now, but she had never seen that last one before. "A...a...ar...ar...kaid..."**_

 _ **She nodded to herself. "Arcade!"**_

 _ **She smiled wide and nodded. "Bee-Ack Kai-Tie Arcade!"**_

" _ **That's a cool way to pronounce that."**_

 _ **She jumped. She quickly turned and stared in awe as three squishies stood behind her, all smiling. One of them was really tall, and it was really. The second one was slightly less tall, but it was prettier. And it had dark skin just like she did. And then there was final one, this one wearing eye protectors.**_

 _ **The Eye Protector Squishy walked up to her and held out its fist. She stared at it for a moment and then shot the squishy a confused look. The squishy chuckled. "This new girl is cool."**_

 _ **The dark-skinned one nodded and winked at her. "And she's stylin' too! Those are some cool clothes!"**_

 _ **The tall one gently smiled and nodded. "Yeah. I can rave to that style..."**_

 _ **She smiled wide and blushed. "Uh...thank you for the compliments!"**_

 _ **Eye Protectors smiled. "Any time. Any time. If we see you around later, we should hang out. You seem to be new here, so we'd love to show you around the city."**_

 _ **She nodded. "I...I'd love to. But, before that, I have to find a group I've been looking for...I just don't know if they're here..."**_

 _ **The tall one nodded. "Well, we hopes that you're able to find them..."**_

 _ **The dark-skinned one smiled. "Yeah girl! And if you need any help, just feel free of ask! We know this entire city inside and out..."**_

 _ **She bowed her head and nodded. "That you very much. I'll make sure to keep that in mind."**_

 _ **The three squishies nodded back and then they were on their way. As she watched them walk away, she smiled wide. "Oh my gosh! I've made more squishy friends!"**_

 _ **She looked down at her dress and nodded. "That dark-skinned one even complimented my outfit..."**_

 _ **She straightened it. "I mean...I was made in this dress. But, still..."**_

 _ **She happily sighed. "I've made so many friends on this trip. I can't wait to tell everyone when I get home..."**_

 _ **But then, she frowned. "I do hope I find them soon. I miss everyone back home..."**_

 _ **Her gaze wondered into the sky. "I wonder if they're all-"**_

 _ **Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped. She...she couldn't believe it! Flying through the air, a barely visible blue dot. But, on the back of that blue dot, high in the sky, she saw three other colors! Green and Orange and Brown. Green and Orange and Brown all attached to Blue!**_

 _ **It was them! It had to be them!**_

 _ **She watched as the collection of dots soared through the air, eventually stopping a dropping down just down the dark gray pathway. She gasped and smiled wide. "OH MY GOSH! I..."**_

 _ **She quickly started sprinting down the pathway, cheering at the top of her lungs. "I'VE FOUND THEM!"**_

 _At the Big Donut..._

The B-Team all sat in the Big Donut, satisfied smiles on their faces as they ate their donuts. It had been a long, full day of work, even if there was still a good bit of daylight left. It wasn't even three o'clock yet and they had accomplished everything they had wanted to do today.

So, now, all they had to do with the rest of their day was sit their and talk. And so they did. Content as could be, Connie, Peridot, Lapis, and Jasper talked amongst one another and, when she could take a moment to sit down, they talked to Sadie.

Jasper dunked her donut into her coffee and shoved it in her mouth. "So, how's your ankle Donut Girl?"

Sadie shrugged. "It's fine. Steven healed it up for me after Beach Fest was over. He offered the same thing to Lars, but..."

Lapis cocked an eyebrow. "Lemme guess, he decided he'd rather have the paid leave off of work. Right?"

Sadie rolled her eyes and nodded. "Hit the nail on the head."

Peridot chuckled and shoved a sprinkle donut into her mouth. "Well, we _have_ been doing that all day!"

Sadie chuckled. "Yeah. I can tell. I mean, I know that Gems don't really sweat, but...Connie..."

Connie cocked her head. "Yes?"

Sadie looked guilty as she pinched her nose. Connie flinched and blushed. And then, after a moment, she finally caught a whiff of herself. "Oh..."

Lapis, Peridot, and Jasper, as if they hadn't noticed it before, all flinched back. Jasper clamped her hand over her nose. "Ugh...you smell awful..."

Connie's face turned bright red. "I...I mean...ugh..."

Sadie, feeling terrible about how badly embarassed Connie looked, quickly offered a solution. "Well, you guys just said that the rest of your day is free, right? So, why not go and have a swim in the ocean when you're done eating?"

Peridot and Jasper both nodded. They liked that idea. So did Connie. Lapis sighed and took a sip of her tea. "You know, Sadie..."

Lapis glanced out the front door of the Big Donut, out at the ocean. "...that doesn't sound like-"

Lapis fell silent. Jasper, Peridot, and Connie all turned to her. Peridot reached out to her friend and shook her. "Lapis? _Lapis_?"

No response. Jasper, seeing the utter perplexed look on the blue Gems face, gave her a slightly harder shake. "Lapis?!"

Lapis's mouth fell open. "Uh...is...that a Gem?"

Jasper, Peridot, and Connie all turned and stared in confusion. None of them knew what to say at what they saw. They all stared on as, plain as day, as if it were totally normal, a Gem stood in the Big Donut parking lot.

The B-Team all stood up, examining her as they inched closer to the exit of the Big Donut. She was a medium height Gem, slightly shorter than Lapis. She had dark gray skin and long, flowing black hair tied up in a tight braid. She was wearing a pitch black spaghetti strap dress with an ovicular slit on the stomach, allowing her pitch black Gem to be exposed for all to see.

Her sparkling eyes stared forward at the sea, her pitch black irises clouded with confusion as she stared out at the ocean. She was clearly looking for something.

The B-Team trepidaciously walked towards her. None of them knew what exactly to say. The Gem shook her head. "Where did they go? I could have sworn..."

After a moment, Peridot made first contact. "E-excuse me..."

The Gem turned to Peridot. "Y-"

She stopped in the middle of her sentence. The Gem stared at the B-Team with a combination of shock and joy on her face. And then, she squealed in happiness. "OH MY GOSH!"

Immediately, she ran into Peridot, arms open, and grabbed the little green Gem into a gigantic hug. Peridot squirmed and grumbled in the larger Gems grip, eventually worming her way out and falling onto her butt.

The Gem, her irises having gone star-shaped, stared at the B-Team in utter awe.

Jasper was confused. Lapis looked uncomfortable to have the black Gem staring right at her. Connie, after a moment, finally popped the question stalling in everybodies mouths. "Who are you?"

The Gem flinched and gasped in horror. "Oh! Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry! I just..I'm so glad to meet you! I'm...I'm so glad...I..."

She began to hyperventilate. Connie quickly placed a staying hand on her shoulder. "It's okay. Breathe. Just breathe. You're fine! Now, what's your name?"

She smiled wide and took a deep breath. "It's...it's very nice to meet you! My name is Black Onyx!"

Connie nodded. "Okay then. Nice to meet you Black Onyx. May I ask why you're so excited to meet us?"

Jasper, Peridot, and Lapis all drew closer, gathering around as Black Onyx tried and somewhat failed to stifle back all of the unbridled joy radiating from her entire body. "I'm sorry...it's just..."

She took another deep breath. "It's been so long since I left the colony! And...well... _I'M JUST SO EXCITED TO FINALLY MEET THE PROGENITORS IN PERSON!_ "

Peridot and Connie both cocked their heads in confusion. "The colony?"

Jasper and Lapis's pupils both shrank, their voices becoming scared and hollow. " _Progenitors?!_ "


	45. Chapter 45: The Omega Colony

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 45: The Omega Colony**

 _A/N: So...uh...300 REVIEWS! Something I've written has actually reached 300 Reviews! And, well, I'm super grateful. Like, seriously, the fact that everyone reading this has actually taken time out of their day to read, analyze, compliment, critique, and/or question is...mind-blowing! And, I'm happy that I've been able to continuously entertain you all. Please enjoy Chapter 45. And, for those of you who contributed to this, I'll make sure to credit you all at the end of this Chapter! :)_

 _Back at the Barn..._

Peridot, Jasper, and Connie all sat there. They all sat there in silence, processing the situation in their own ways. Connie was silently curious. Peridot was frantically curious. And Jasper was incredibly annoyed.

The three remaining members of the B-Team sat there in deafening silence waiting for their fourth to return. Lapis, not quite knowing how to respond to... _that word_...had agreed to give Black Onyx a ride back home. In her own words, the blue Gem had to see this for herself.

She had to see what exactly Black Onyx meant when she said that they were " _progenitors_ ". And, more importantly, she had to go see what exactly Black Onyx was talking about when she mentioned an _entire colony_.

Peridot swallowed a lump in her throat. "So...an entire new colony of Gems huh? Where do you think they came from?"

Jasper was only half-paying attention. "Probably Bridget. I mean...no, _DEFINITELY_ Bridget!"

Connie was confused. "A colony connected to Bridget? But...if she had a full colony behind her, then why weren't they helping her when we fought her?"

Jasper grunted and fell silent, returning to annoyedly glaring at the wall. Peridot attempted to make some sort of sense of the situation. "They could be a group of confused Gems from an untended Kindergarten..."

The little green Gem squeezed her knees close to her face. "Who knows how many Gems Bridget was planning to corrupt before we stopped her. She could have hundreds of Kindergartens out there..."

Connie nervously bit her lower lip. "But..."

The human girl stopped short. She, at least, knew what the word progenitor meant. She was well read. She had seen it in books before. But, knowing what exactly the word meant didn't help make her feel better. If anything, it made her even more afraid of the possibility of this " _new colony_ ".

Connie took a deep breath. "Why did she call us _Progenitors_? How...we never..."

Jasper snapped at Connie. "We are _NOT_ progenitors! Not one of the four of us has had a hand in forming a Kindergarten of Gems since we came to this planet, nor did we usher any foreign Gems to start living here! Black Onyx is either delusional or she's lying! There are no other options!"

Peridot tried to interject. "But, what about-"

Jasper growled. "Shut up _runt!_ "

Peridot turned to her. "But, Jasper, what about-"

Jasper turned and shot her a furious glare. " _SHUT UP PERIDOT!_ "

Jasper loomed over the tiny, terrified Gem. "We have nothing to do with any of this! Unless you happened to found a New Colony of Gems while the rest of us weren't looking!"

Peridot shied away. "I mean...we didn't..."

The Barn fell to silence. In her irritation, Jasper had cowed Peridot into silence. And Connie was too deep in thought to say anything. They all just sat there, silently. Waiting. Waiting for Lapis to come back and maybe usher some sense into this situation.

And then, 30 minutes later, they got their wish.

Lapis came gliding back into the Barn, through the upper entrance. A look of weariness and bewildermint covered her features as she slowly made her way over to her chair and collapsed. The blue Gem let loose a gigantic, weary sigh and buried her face in her hands.

Quickly, Connie, Jasper, and Peridot joined Lapis up in her loft and looked to her for answers. Lapis, however, remained silent until someone spoke to her directly. Peridot grabbed Lapis's shoulder. "Lapis...what's going on? What happened with Black Onyx?"

Lapis lifted her face from her hands, shooting the rest of the B-Team a shell-shocked look before reburying her face. "Oh... _by the Diamonds._.."

Jasper spoke next, her voice rife with impatient anger. " _Lapis!_ What's going on?!"

Lapis took another long sigh. " _Ugh...I...ugh..._ "

Connie was growing more and more concerned. "Lapis?"

Lapis shook her head. "We're...uh...we're..."

Lapis let loose one final, shuddering sigh. "I'll...I'll just have to _show you_..."

Jasper was confused. "Show us?"

Lapis nodded. " _Show you_. Now, follow me."

Lapis sprouted a pair of wings and immediately took flight towards the roof hatch. Connie, Jasper, and Peridot at shot each other worried glances and then, with Jasper picking her smaller comrades up, the three of them followed Lapis to the roof.

But, why would they be going to the roof? All that was up there was the Warp Pad. Where would that take them?

 _Paria Canyon..._

The four members of the B-Team stepped off the Warp Pad and back onto the rocky floor of Paria Canyon. It had been a while since they had last been here. Not since the fight with the Omega Injector if memory served correctly.

As the four of the got closer and closer to the sight where the Omega Injector had been defeated, they all had their different reactions. Connie was still confused. Peridot was nervous. Lapis was grim. And Jasper was a mixture of angry and green in the face.

The four of them came to a halt and Lapis turned to her teammates. "Now...before we go in here..."

The blue Gem looked up at Jasper, seeing the look of horror on the Quartz's face a realization of what had happened washed over her. Lapis took a deep breath. "You should at least know...I counted nine of them when I was here earlier..."

Jasper's eyes snapped wide. " _NINE?!_ "

Lapis nodded. "Nine. Including Black Onyx. That I saw when I was here. I don't know if there are more...I saw a lot more than nine holes on the ground..."

Jasper swallowed a lump in her throat. "But...how did that many grow? I mean... _HOW?_ "

Lapis shook her head. "Do I look like a scientist?"

Jasper and Lapis both turned to the confused Peridot. Peridot shrugged. "I...I still don't know what's going on! You two are being so vague!"

Lapis nodded. "Well, allow me to clarify. Peridot..."

Lapis motioned for the three of them to follow her. They rounded the corner, into the canyon where the Omega Injector was defeated and came upon an astonishing sight. The ruined remains of the Injector had been stood back up, the metal having been decorated and torn apart with wild abandon, forming a crude central structure for what surrounded. And what surrounded was a town. A small village formed of Homeworld shipping containers and Emerald Hand parts. Hastily built shacks with a small, crudely made safety fence built around a barren stretch of rock pocked with at least twenty vaguely Gem-shaped holes.

The B-Team, following Lapis, took their first trepidacious steps into this newly built hovel, none of them quite knowing what to think. Lapis turned back to Peridot and sighed. "Welcome to the Omega Colony."

Connie was still confused. "But, Lapis, I still don't understand what's going on..."

Lapis sighed. "Well, Connie, the four of us are...apparently...parents."

Connie's pupils shrank to pinpricks. "What?"

Peridot's jaw dropped. " _What?!_ "

Jasper ran her right hand through her hair, barely containing her rage. She had a different question than Connie and Peridot. "But...but I still don't get it!"

Jasper began to walk foreward. " _How?!_ How did this even-"

Jasper was immediately interrupted by some unseen force falling from the sky and landing on her back, tackling her to the ground. The Quartz grunted as she collided with the rocky floor. She quickly began to push herself up, confused by the jovial sound of the laughter she heard.

Jasper rolled over and glared up at the source of the laughter. She was immediately frozen in shock by the sight of the Gem on her back. She was a medium-sized Gem. Her yellowish-gold skin shone in the sun, only marred by the burnt orange lines spreading up and down her arms and face, one thick line in particular connecting to her right eye. Her Quartz uniform expanded and depressed with her joyous laughter as she bucked up and down on Jasper's back as if the bigger Quartz was some kind of horse. Her white hair bristling in and out as she shuddered with each guffaw. Finally, once she had gotten over her fit of laughter, the Gem's hazel eyes popped open and she looked down at Jasper. "Come on Sis! I thought-"

The Gem sitting atop Jasper's smile faded. Immediately, she shot forward, jamming her forearm into Jasper's throat and summoning a Crossbow from her forehead. "Wait a minute! _Who are you?!_ "

The Gem jammed the tip of her Crossbow in Jasper's face and, paranoid fear streaked across her face, she cried out. " _YOU AREN'T TIGER! WHY ARE YOU IN MY HOME?!_ "

Jasper, in spite of her shock, immediately tried to calm the situation. "Now now. Let's just-"

The Gem reared back and slammed her fist right into Jasper's nose. Jasper, now snapped out of any sense of civility, immediately burst forward, wrapping her hand around the golden Gem's neck and lifting her into the air.

Jasper reared her own fist back, ready to return the punch, but was immediately stopped by Lapis. "Jasper! No! Don't hurt her!"

Jasper snarled at Lapis. But, before things could escalate any further, a voice of reason broke into things. "Whoa! What's going on out here?!"

Connie and Peridot both joined Lapis and Jasper as the new voice approached. They all watched on as Black Onyx, accompanied by a gray Quartz and a white-skinned Gem, quickly ran onto the scene, trying to make sense of what was going on.

The black Gem quickly turned to her ally, hanging from Jasper's grip, and began to scold her. " _Citrine_! Why are you attacking people?!"

Citrine scowled, her face streaked with terror. "They're _strangers_ Onyx! I've never seen them before! What if they want to hurt us?! What if the want to shatter us?! What if they want to _grind our Gems into powder and eat it and-_ "

The white Gem quickly spoke up. "You're _waaaay_ too paranoid. It's starting to get annoying..."

Citrine scowled at the white Gem. "I'm _cautious_! Not _paranoid_! _Cautious_! You never know what might try to hurt us Star! There could be all sorts of dangers out there and if anything ever hurt you-"

Star Diopside quickly interjected. "The only thing that has hurt me since I was born has been you when you jumped me!"

Citrine shook her head. "You can't blame that on me! I didn't see you emerge from the ground. For all I knew, you could have been out to kill us!"

Star Diopside sighed. She ran her pale hands through her long, dark hair, grabbing her ponytail and pulling it taught. She adjusted her gloves and straightened out her top, her bright red eyes searching all up and down her outfit for any creases or scuffs.

Citrine clenched her teeth. "Don't ignore me! I'm serious Star! If anything happened to you guys, I'd-"

Finally, the gray Quartz spoke up. "Okay. Okay. Let's all just take a step back and recollect ourselves. I'm not...exactly comfortable with new people either. But that's no reason for us to start fighting amongst ourselves..."

She turned to Jasper and trepidaciously reached out to the larger Quartz. "Would you...please put my sister down...?"

Jasper grunted and dropped Citrine to the ground. The gray Quartz nervously nodded. "Th-thank you..."

And then, immediately, she ran past Jasper and grabbed Citrine into a hug, squeezing the smaller Quartz tight. "It's okay to be afraid. It's okay. I'm here for you..."

Jasper's anger subsided as she watched what was going on before her. She was still annoyed, she just wasn't outright furious as she watched the gray-skinned Gem squeeze the Citrine close. The dark gray stripes on her arms wrapping around Citrine like a comforting ribbon. Her black and gray, body covering outfit, acting like a pillow for Citrine to jam her face into. Her white hair draping over the both of them like a warm blanket.

Citrine nodded. "Okay. I'm good. Thanks Picasso..."

Picasso Jasper took a step back, her flaming orange eyes glowing with warmth and care, her smile beaming in spite of the sharpness of her teeth. "Anytime Sister."

Black Onyx smiled, watching her sisters make-up with one another. Even letting loose a slight giggle as Star Diopside tried to escape the hug Picasso was trying to share. She turned to the B-Team and shot them a bright smile. "I'm so happy you all came! Everyone is going to be so excited to meet you!"

Jasper sighed, bags already developing under her eyes. "Oh...right. There are _more_ of you..."

Onyx smiled. "Yes ma'am. And they're all going to be so excited to finally get to meet _the Progenitors_!"

Onyx motioned for everyone to follow her to the main structure formed of the Omega Injector. Everyone plodded behind the black Gem, all of them with curious (or terrified) looks on their faces.

Citrine's eyes widened as they walked into the Omega Injector's hollowed out torso. "Wait a minute... _THESE FOUR ARE THE PROGENITORS?!_ "

 _Inside the remains of the Omega Injector's..._

Black Onyx was all smiles as she led her Sisters and the B-Team into the Omega Injector. With a sense of childlike glee, she pointed out as of yet unmet individuals to the so-called _Progenitors_.

Onyx pointed to a platform, towards two Gems tearing apart an Emerald Hand with their Axe and their Escrima Sticks. "And those two are _Iolite_ and _Jet Lignite_! Iolite tells the best jokes and Lignite...doesn't talk much. But we still love her!"

And then, two more Gems emerged from a seperately built room in the back of the space. They were chatting to one another and carrying what appeared to be a small house. The larger one (tall and thin with pink skin, dark red hair pulled into a ponytail, and a magenta leotard with red and magenta legwarmers) was making a sarcastic barb about Citrine's paranoia. "I bet you anything she'll smash this house if we don't show it to her first..."

The other one shook her head, giving a slight chuckle, her magenta hair shaking across her lime green skin. "That's mean Andesine. She can't help the way she is..."

Andesine sighed and reached over and gave her compatriot a pat on her giant, blue shoulder pad. "You're a good one Topaz. Don't change."

Andesine looked away from Topaz and smirked. "Oh! Onyx! When did you get back?"

Onyx shrugged. "I've been back for a bit. Who's that lovely Gem next to you?"

Andesine smiled and turned to her shorter companion. "That's Topaz. She popped out of the ground after you left to find the Progenitor's. She's really strong!"

Andesine cocked her head once she caught sight of the B-Team. "Oh! I see you did find the Progenitor's! I...honestly didn't think you would..."

Andesine smirked and stepped forward, offering a handshake to Lapis. "It's nice to meet you, dear Progenitor's. Thanks for...uh...giving me life, I suppose..."

Andesine sighed. "By the way, Onyx, where are Tiger and the Little One?"

Onyx scratched her head. "Uh...they were leaving right when I was coming back. Miss Lapis and I saw them walking out into the canyon as we were flying in and-"

Jasper, finally having had enough, cried out and interrupted the conversation. " _WILL SOMEONE PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME HOW EXACTLY WE'RE YOUR PROGENITOR'S?!_ "

Onyx looked briefly shocked at the sudden outburst. But, then, she regained her smile. "Well, I guess it's lucky we've run into Andesine! She's the one who figured all of it out, after all!"

Andesine nodded and placed the small house she and Topaz were carrying onto the ground. "I'd happily show the Progenitor's how they helped to make us! We just have to go to the top floor!"

 _Top Section of the remains of the Omega Injector..._

Leaving the others behind, the B-Team, Black Onyx, and Andesine all made their way to the top section of the Omega Injector, the part where Bridget's control center had once been mounted. Andesine stuck her tongue out of her mouth as she fiddled with the broken technology that remained in the space. "Now...from my fiddling with this stuff...I can tell you that some parts of this setup are missing..."

She pulled a wire out from underneath a busted console and redirected it into the main monitor. "But...we should be able to draw just enough power to..."

The monitor flickered to life. "There we go! Now, I can show you how we were all made..."

Andesine tapped away at the console, eventually pulling up a status report from before the Omega Injector had died. "You see...according to this thing. The fluid it had in it, Genesis Fluid I think it's called, it's what was used to make us!"

She pressed her finger up against a particular meter. "From what I can gather, the fluid that made us was inside this machine when, suddenly-"

The playback of the meter showed it suddenly crashing to empty very quickly. "Something ruptured the tank of this machine and the liquid inside splattered onto the ground. From there, it seeped down below the rocks and we were formed from it!"

The B-Team all stood in disbelief. Lapis looked as if she had heard this entire explanation already. Connie looked horrifed, her thoughts turning back to the moment that Ammolite had broken the Omega Injector in two, indeed being the reason that the Genesis Fluid had spilled all over the canyon. Peridot, while also looking horrified, seemed to at least comprehend what had happened. Jasper, meanwhile, still didn't look quite convinced and it was making her even angrier. "Okay. So, you have proof of how you were made, but where's the proof that we made you?!"

Black Onyx glanced away nervously. "Well, that's a bit...harder..."

Andesine nodded. "The only proof we have that you guys were involved in our birth..."

She pulled up an image of the B-Team that the Injector had caught on its cameras. "Is this picture! This picture right here! When we all saw this for the first time..."

Onyx finished Andesine's sentence. "We knew that you must have had something to do with our births! And, to be honest..."

Onyx smiled wide. "Most of us were relieved! We had spent forever, just wandering around here, wondering how we were made! And, when Andesine found that image, we were so happy! We finally had someone to thank for giving us life!"

Unable to resist, Onyx ran up to the B-Team, wrapping them as best she could in a huge hug. "We were so happy to finally have Progenitor's! People who we could say made us! I was so happy that...well...I went out and spent a long time looking for you! And I'm so glad that I found you! And everyone else is so happy that I found you. And, I bet when they get back, Tiger and the Little One will be-"

Suddenly, Citrine's voice called out from the canyon below. " _EVERYONE! TIGER AND THE LITTLE ONE ARE BACK!_ "

Onyx chuckled. "Well, I guess we'll just have to go see their reactions for ourselves! Let's head back down."

Andesine nodded and she and Black Onyx walked towards the shaft that lead back to the ground floor. Black Onyx turned to the B-Team, a confused look on her face. "Are you guys coming? I think you'll just love Tiger and the Little One when you meet them. They're both wonderful!"

Lapis, taking a moment to compose herself after those stunning revelations, smiled and nodded. "We'll be down in a minute. The four of us just need to...discuss things..."

Black Onyx and Andesine both looked confused, but, then they smiled. Andesine nodded. "Well, we'll see you when you come down. And, well, I gotta say that I do agree with Onyx, you're probably going to love Tiger and the Little One when you meet them!"

Connie joined Lapis in smiling. "I'm sure we will!"

The two Colony Members waved goodbye and tightly gripped two loose hangings wires, leaping into the shaft and sliding down the shaft.

Once they were alone, the smiles faded from Lapis and Connie's faces and they turned to Jasper and Peridot. Jasper looked annoyed and angry. Peridot appeared to be deep in thought as she observed the data running down the barely functioning monitor. The little green Gem appeared quite concerned.

Leaving Peridot to her observations, Lapis turned to Connie and Jasper. "So...yeah..."

Connie's mouth was dry. "I mean...in a way...we..."

Jasper remained uncomfortably silent. Lapis glanced over at the larger Quartz and watched as she uncomfortably fidgeted about. Lapis took a tiny step closer and looked Jasper in the eye and saw something she had never seen before, swimming in there with all of the normal rage and irritation there was something else: fear.

Lapis cocked her head to the side as she stared at Jasper. The Quartz didn't even seem to notice. Lapis shook her head as she turned her attention away from Jasper. She was taking this worse than any of them were.

Lapis turned to Connie and saw the look of concern on the human's face. The blue Gem sighed and walked up to Connie, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Are...are you okay. I know that, for humans at least, this is some pretty heavy stuff..."

Connie nodded. "Yeah. I mean...they aren't wrong, you know."

Lapis nodded. Connie nervously wringed her hands together. "In a way, we are responsible for this Colony existing. We were careless when we were fighting Bridget. We allowed the fluid from her weapon to soak into the ground here. We're..."

Connie, in spite of herself, couldn't help but smile a tad. "We're these Gems parents."

Lapis closed her eyes, a small smile developing on her face as well. "Yeah. We are..."

"Well, if we are, we might have a problem on our hands..."

Lapis and Connie both turned towards the console, towards Peridot as the green Gem carefully read over the data on the screen. Connie immediately became concerned. "Why? What's wrong?"

Lapis, equally as concerned, stepped towards the console. "What is it Peridot?"

Peridot frowned as she read over the screen. "This..."

The green Gem clenched her fist. "The Genesis Fluid quality was low. _Very low_."

Connie grimaced. "What does that mean? What...what does that mean _for them_?"

Peridot shook her head. "I don't know. I mean...Bridget was using everything at her disposal to try to kill all of us. She even resorted to _expired goods_ when she had to, it looks like. How that affects the lot of them down there...I don't know. I'd have to perform more extensive tests in order to figure that out..."

Lapis cocked her head. "What kind of tests? Do you need any sort of machinery?"

Peridot shook her head. "No. I just need to do a standard Stardust consistency exam. All I need to do that is my fingers."

Connie frowned. "So, what do we do now?"

Lapis sighed. "I guess...we should head down and meet _Tiger_ and the _Little One_..."

 _Back on the Ground..._

The B-Team made their way back to the ground, Connie sliding down one of the wires while the others just leapt down. When they reached the rocky floor below, they were immediately greeted by Andesine and Citrine.

Citrine was awkward as she walked up to Jasper. "Uh...I...I'm sorry for tackling you to the ground before..."

Jasper didn't even bother to make eye contact. She merely grunted and waved Citrine off. Discouraged, the shorter Quartz took a step back and allowed her bigger sister to step up to speak. Andesine sighed and made a point to avoid speaking directly to Jasper. Rather, she went up to Lapis and Peridot and shot them a happy smile. "Tiger and the Little One are outside. The Little One is...a _tad excitable_. So Onyx wanted to give her a bit of forewarning that you guys are here."

Andesine motioned towards the door. "So, they're right outside. If you'd be so kind as to follow me..."

Peridot, acting quickly, waved her hand in the air. "One minute. I...have a question for you..."

Lapis and Connie both frowned as Andesine turned back around and faced Peridot. "Yes ma'am? What is it?"

Peridot's eyes hit the floor. She hadn't thought this far ahead in the conversation. She didn't really know how to phrase the question she needed to ask without freaking the lot of them out. Peridot fumbled with her words for a moment, and then she thought of a question that might not stir too much up. "Um...when we were walking into this...building of yours...I looked over at your little field of holes. I assume that's were you all emerged from?"

Andesine smiled and nodded. ":Why, yes. That is indeed where we came from. I could show you mine if you'd like to see it. It's pretty smooth compared to some of the other ones."

Peridot smiled. "I'm sure it is. But...um...I did notice, as I was looking at them,there appeared to be more than the number of Gems you have living here..."

Peridot looked Andesine in the eye and saw a small twinkle of sadness. She knew she was going to regret this next question. "Uh...are there other Gems in this colony that we haven't met yet?"

Andesine sadly nodded. "Yes. There are...well...there used to be...other Gems..."

Peridot stealthily glanced back at Lapis, Connie, and Jasper. The blue Gem and the human were both wincing. They looked as if they were expecting the worst. Jasper's hair was casting a shadow over her face, leaving her features unseen. Peridot swallowed a lump in her throat. "Wh-what happened to them?"

Andesine sadly smiled. "Well...we've all just assumed they outgrew this place. A couple of them weren't all that personable...so we came to the conclusion that they just up and left. I mean...we went into their dwellings after they went missing and we didn't find anything. Nothing but emptiness and dust..."

Peridot grimaced and clenched her fists. "D...dust, you say?"

Andesine nodded. "Yes ma'am. Nothing but dust...Kaolinite...Pectolite...Fluorite...Corundum..."

Andesine smiled faded away. "They were our family...and they all just left without saying a word..."

Lapis frowned. "It's that bad?"

Andesine nodded. "The only Gems here that were here before Onyx went to find you are myself, Tiger, Citrine, Star, Picasso, and the Little One. Everyone else is new..."

Andesine smiled again. "But, at least they're _here_. They're our family. And it's good to have them around. And, speaking of people who are still around..."

The pink Gem turned and smiled wide at the exit to the building. "Why don't we go and introduce the four of you to the last members of our family?"

As Andesine and Citrine led them back out of the hollowed out shell of the Omega Injector, Connie, Peridot, and Lapis all shot one another worried looks. Trailing behind them, Jasper still kept her face hidden, the only thing apparent being the amount of confusion and annoyance her body language gave off.

 _Outside the Omega Injector..._

The B-Team followed Andesine and Citrine back out into the slowly setting sun. In spite of the heavy thoughts running through their minds, the were curious as to who these two Gems, _Tiger_ and _the Little One_ , were. As they approached the rest of the Omega Colony Gems, they were shocked at what they saw.

Tiger and the Little One were both standing there, each of them carrying a large sack across their backs. On the Little One, the sack looked like an impossibly large burden. It easily dwarfed her several times over. However, with Tiger, it was the exact opposite. Her sack looked like a small backpack slung over her shoulder. Compared to her massive frame, both the sack and the smaller Gem on her shoulder were nothing. They looked like specks atop her massive, caped frame.

Even Jasper looked slightly intimidated at the sight of this truly massive Gem. The members of the Omega Colony, however, all appeared totally unperturbed. Citrine, with a wide smile on her face, sprinted up to the massive mound of a Gem and leapt onto her back, attempting to tackle her to the ground but not making her so much as budge.

Andesine chuckled and called out to the others. "Hey Tiger! Lappy! We have some Gems we want you to meet!"

The B-Team all flinched as the massive, towering Gem slowly turned towards them. Connie, Peridot, and Jasper all appeared to be shocked upon learning that Tiger, for all of her size, was in fact hunching over. Lapis, on the other hand, was more shocked at what she had just heard. " _Lappy?!_ "

The final two members of the Omega Colony turned and stared in shock at their Progenitor's. The larger one, Tiger Jasper, looked a lot like her namesake. Much like Jasper, this Gem was massive, her skin a (slightly darker) orange and covered in alternately-colored stripes, hers being bright red. In the center of her chest sat her Gem, dull and dim and severely cracked. And this defect didn't appear to be doing wonders on her form. Her lower jaw was massive, several sharp fangs jutting out at random places from her lower lip. Her eyes, the same golden shade as Jaspers, were thin and slit-like. Her fingers were long and sharp and jagged, serated and dire like massive knives. And, jutting from the upper right side of her head, a massive callous horn protruded high and tall, poking a hole from the hood covering her head.

The Gem on her shoulder, meanwhile, couldn't have been more different. She was all smiles, her form perfect and without a single flaw. Her bright blue eyes, matching her bright blue skin tone, were sparkling with curiosity as she examined her makers. Her bright smile stretched from ear-to-ear as she leapt from her bigger counterparts shoulder, gliding to the ground and cautiously walking up to the B-Team. Her shining blue Gem sparkled from its place on her stomach as she approached the four of them. She stood before them and smiled at each of them, taking an extra minute to smile at Jasper before turning her attention to Lapis. "Wow...you look just like me..."

Lapis stared in shock at the little, blue Gem. Her words failed her as she stared down, trying to process what she was seeing. Finally, she slowly nodded and spoke. "Yeah... _exactly like you_..."

Lapis Lazuli stared down at this new Gem, a smaller Lapis Lazuli, and couldn't think of a thing to say. Of all the Gems that could have spawned in the Colony that they had accidently fathered...of course one of them would end up being _another Lapis_.

After a moment of awkward silence, Little Lappy reached her hand out towards Lapis. "It's...it's nice to meet you, Miss Progenitor...ma'am..."

Lapis swallowed a lump in her throat. And then, slowly, she reached out and grabbed Little Lappy's hand, giving it a gentle shake. "It's nice to meet you too... _Lapis_..."

Little Lappy smiled and giggled, quickly turning and running back to her larger sibling. " _Tiger! She said it was nice to meet me!_ "

Tiger Jasper smiled and nodded, reaching down and grabbing Little Lappy and placing her back on her shoulder. The Little One eagerly took her back her seat and smiled back at the B-Team. "Please stick around for a minute! Tiger and I have to go and put this scrap away, but after that I want to show you some stuff! I want to show you our house and I want to show you the hole I came out of and I-"

Lapis quickly interrupted, a warm smile developing on her face. "Okay! Okay! Calm down! I promise I'll still be here when you come out! You can show me anything you want to when you come back out, okay...?"

Little Lappy giggled and nodded. "Okay! We'll go take care of putting this stuff away real quick and then I'll show you everything!"

And then, Little Lappy stood up on Tiger Jasper's shoulder, and hefted her sack of scraps up. "Come on Tiger! Let's hurry!"

Silently, Tiger Jasper nodded and slowly began to plod towards the Omega Injector, carefully pushing past her sisters and the B-Team and disappearing within the building.

Once they were out of sight, Peridot's smile faded. Her thoughts immediately fell back to what they had been on before and she turned to Andesine. "Would you mind taking me to the abandoned houses? I'd like to see them..."

Andesine sadly nodded. "Okay...let's just try not to mess with them too badly. I don't want them destroyed just in case the others come back..."

Humoring the pink Gem, Peridot nodded. And then the two of them seperated from the rest of the group.

While Peridot and Andesine were gone, the rest of the B-Team interacted with their progeny. The inhabitants of the Omega Colony, in spite of their quirks and flaws, were all genuinely happy to meet their makers. They each took their turn to ask questions, to try to get to know their Progenitor's. Even when Little Lappy and Tiger Jasper returned and took the B-Team on their little tour, Lapis and Connie were still flooded with questions non-stop.

Although, to be fair, the B-Team themselves had a number of questions that they needed answered. Unfortunately, the Omega Colonists didn't know much. All they knew was the tiny patch of land they called home and the family they had formed on it. But, Little Lappy was more than happy to give any info she could. She even revealed the order in which the Colonists emerged from their holes: first came Tiger Jasper, then Picasso Jasper, then Black Onyx, then Citrine, then Star Diopside, then Herself, then Andesine, then Iolite, Topaz, and Jet Lignite. Little Lappy frowned. "And...there were others once too. But, they just left one day...and thinking about them makes me kind of sad..."

Lapis frowned and gave Little Lappy a caring pat on the back. "It's okay. Don't be upset..."

Little Lappy smiled and pulled Lapis's arm close, wrapping it up in a big hug. "Thank you ma'am."

Lapis chuckled. "Oh come on! Stop with the ma'am stuff! Just call me Lapis!"

Little Lappy nodded. "Th-thank you Lapis!"

Lapis smiled and winked. "Anytime Lapis!"

As the two Lapis's got to know one another, Connie talked to Star Diopside and Picasso Jasper. The human girl nervously glanced out of the corner of her eye at the towering form of Tiger Jasper and turned back to the other two Gems. "She's...pretty big, huh?"

Star nodded. "Oh yeah. She's massive, but she's older than any of us, so of course she's bigger!"

Connie frowned as she took another glance at Tiger Jasper, staring at her Gem. "Her Gem is cracked..."

Picasso Jasper nodded. "Yeah. We've talked to her about it. Or, rather, we've talked _at_ her about it, she doesn't exactly speak...and, from what we've gathered, she was born that way..."

Connie cocked her head. "You've never heard her speak?"

Star Diopside shook her head. "Nope. We're not even sure that she can to be honest...she just grunts and carries the Little One around..."

Connie frowned. "And none of you have healing powers, do you?"

Picasso Jasper frowned. "I...don't think so. We've all tried to discover all of the things we're capable of doing, so I don't think any of us have healing powers..."

Connie nodded. "Okay then. Well...I think I might have a way to fix this. Maybe..."

Jasper, meanwhile, stood at arms length from the group. As Connie and Lapis talked to the Omega Colonists, got to know them, she remained distant from them. A couple of them (Citrine and Topaz) tried to come up to her and initiate a conversation, but Jasper's blunt personality quickly drove them away.

The Quartz made no bones of showing her discomfort with this whole situation. She didn't want to be here. She...didn't want this. She wanted an out, some way to get away from all of this. Some way to get away from all of these...new Gems. Some way to get away from the word " _Progenitor_ " for just a few minutes. She felt like her head was about to explode.

Luckily for Jasper, she was soon relieved from her suffering by the return of Peridot and Andesine. The little green Gem was quickly swarmed by the other Colonists, all of them eager to meet her and get to know her. But, Peridot quickly pushed them all back.

Peridot frowned. "I'm sorry everyone I just..."

Peridot looked past the Colonists and motioned for Connie, Jasper, and Lapis to come over to her. "I need to have a small, private conversation with the others for just a moment..."

Andesine frowned. "Is something wrong Peridot? You seem nervous..."

Peridot shook her head. "Oh no! Nothing's wrong! Nothing's wrong at all! I just need to talk to the others for a moment, that's all. After I get done talking to them, I'll happily come back and answer any questions you guys might have! I'd love to get to know all of you, okay?"

The Colonist's all frowned, but they nodded in agreement and quickly dispersed. Once they were all out of earshot, Peridot turned to her fellow B-Team members. They all flinched at the grim look on her face. Peridot sadly glanced back at Andesine and Citrine, both of them chatting by a large rock, and then turned back to her teammates. After a moment, Lapis worked up the nerve to ask. "What's wrong? What's going on Peridot?"

Peridot shook her head and mumbled to herself. " _They might as well be made of glass..._ "

Connie cocked her head. "What?"

Peridot held out her fist. After a moment, she opened it and revealed a small handful of fine dust. The B-Team all looked confused. Jasper grunted. "What is that?"

Peridot sighed. "This... _is Pectolite_..."

Lapis and Connie both gasped. Jasper's eyes widened as all three of them took a step back. Peridot sighed and shook her head. "Andesine took me to the structure that Pectolite used to inhabit. She told me about what happened...Pectolite took a nasty fall one day and, when she went to take a rest...she just vanished."

Lapis shook her head. "No..."

Peridot spread her fingers out, allowing the stardust to fall to the ground below. "Andesine wasn't sure about the others, but I can only assume similar things must have happened to them. And, after checking this stardust...I know what happened..."

Jasper frowned, the slightest bit of concern crossing her face. "What is it?"

Peridot shook her head and glanced down at the pile of stardust. "When I said that Bridget used every resource she could get her hands on, I meant it..."

The little green Gem sighed. "The Genesis Fluid inside the Omega Injector was old. Very old. And its potency had decreased dramatically as it aged..."

Connie was horrified. "What does that mean...?"

Peridot raggedly sighed. "Even without the Omega Injector forcing their growth, none of the Gems in this Colony are very hardy. Their crystalline structure is extraordinarily fragile. In layman's terms...a really bad bump could mean instant death for any of them..."

 _ **OC Credits! :D (Thanks for lending me your characters everyone!)**_

 **Star Diopside** created by **FanficLovingPerson**

 **Picasso Jasper** created by **MyShatteredDreamscape**

 **Andesine** created by **Storygirl000**

 **Tiger Jasper** created by **RedHood001**

 **Iolite** created by **meez13rulez**

 **Citrine** created by **FanficFan920**

 **Topaz** created by **ShadowedPrimordial**

 **Jet Lignite** created by **Jetlag-Ocelot**

 **Lapis "Little Lappy" Lazuli** created by **supersaiyanjin219**


	46. Chapter 46: Parenthood

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 46: Parenthood**

 _A/N: And, with this, we've reached the end of the "Omega Colony" arc. This Chapter will wrap this up and the next Chapter will be a one-shot. But, then, after that, we're going to enter what I've been calling the "Retribution of Dragon's Breath" arc. So, hope you all look forward to that! :D_

 _Also, yes, I did see Storm in the Room. I cried. My family cried. We all cried. It was...a heavy episode for me and Mrs. Feraligreater328..._

 _At the Omega Colony..._

Connie and Lapis both stood in shocked silence as they let Peridot's announcement sink in. Their mouths both hung open, but neither of them made a sound. The faint sound of the wind rushing through the canyon was all that filled the air as they stood their.

Even Jasper, who at this point had worn a shroud of indifference, couldn't hide the slightest bit of concern that was showing up on her face.

Lapis, finally finding her words, shakily asked. "Instant death?"

Peridot nodded. "Instant. They aren't physically hardy. Even that Tiger Jasper, for as big and rough as she looks, is one bad fall away from falling to pieces..."

Peridot glanced away from Lapis, her eyes hitting the floor. "I...I don't know what to say here. I don't know how to fix this..."

Connie chimed in. "What about Steven?! His healing spit-"

Jasper interjected. "Would only return them to the state they were born in."

Everyone turned to Jasper. Jasper shook her head. "I saw Rose Quartz try to heal Gem's made from the Omega Injector. Gems that were born weak and unhardy. They were restored to the state they came out of the ground in and near immediately crumbled again..."

Lapis frowned. "But, those were Gems that were born through the Omega Injector, ours were born from the fluid inside, not the process the Injector does. Maybe those Gems were a special case?"

Jasper shook her head. "No. They weren't. If that Rose Quartz spawn were able to fix what's wrong with these Gems..."

Jasper turned her attention to Peridot. "You and Amethyst would most likely be appropriate heights right now."

Peridot frowned. Lapis immediately jumped to her defense. "Don't pick on Peridot!"

Jasper sneered. "I'm not! I'm making a point! If Rose's Spawn could fix defects as easily as you seem to think he can, then Peridot and Amethyst would both be more than what they are right now!"

Lapis had an irritated look in her eye. "Jasper-"

Peridot grabbed Lapis's forearm. "It's fine. She has a point..."

Peridot shook her head. "If Steven can't help them...and all signs point to he can't...then it would probably be better to leave the Crystal Gems out of this for now. We don't want them coming here and accidently freaking everyone here out..."

Connie frowned. "I don't think the Gems would do anything to hurt the Gems here..."

Lapis rolled her eyes. "Steven and Garnet wouldn't. Amethyst would be rough and Pearl...would be Pearl..."

Connie cocked her head. Lapis frowned, realizing what she just implied. "Pearl, from what I've seen, isn't good with change. And those are nine BIG changes wondering around out here. Between her freaking out, and Amethyst being overly-playful, I don't think they'd have a good impact here...at least not right now..."

Jasper snarled. "Okay. We've covered that we're keeping the Crystal Gems noses out of our business! Now, can we discuss something more important?!"

Lapis, Peridot, and Connie all turned to Jasper. Lapis glared at her expectantly. "Okay Jasper...what more important things can you think of?"

Jasper blushed and glared away from the rest of the B-Team. Swallowing a lump in her throat, she quickly mumbled out her thoughts. "I... _don'twannaseetheseguysdie_..."

Lapis raised an eyebrow. "What was that?"

Peridot quickly responded. "She said-"

Lapis held up her hand. "Shush. I want her to say it. She's been acting like a standoffish grump ever since we got here. I want to hear her say it. So, go ahead Jasper..."

Jasper clenched her teeth. She turned to Lapis and growled. Lapis didn't even flinch. She merely stared a Jasper, a dull look in her eyes. Finally, Jasper broke. "I don't want to see these guys die. Okay? Is that good enough for you?"

Lapis shrugged. "And here I thought you didn't care this whole-"

Jasper erupted. "Don't act like you wanted them either! You were mortified by this entire experience right up until you found one that looked like you! I might be a jerk, but you're a hypocrite!"

Lapis's jaw dropped. She looked as if she wanted to say something, but nothing came out. Peridot and Connie, both reacting quickly, got inbetween their two more powerful teammates. Connie was frantic. "Look...I can't say I'm too enthused at the thought of being a parent to anything. I'm 13! But...we caused this, so we need to fix it. And snapping at each other isn't going to get anything done!"

Peridot nodded. "Connie's right. We need to think of something. We need to think of something fast! So, let's stop yelling, and start thinking. Okay?!"

Jasper and Lapis both glared at one another. But, then, they backed down. The blue and orange Gems both appeared to fall into deep thought. Connie and Peridot joined them. All four members of the B-Team stood there, trying to think of anything they could do to help their fragile progeny.

Finally, Lapis came up with an idea. "We could help them build..."

The others turned to her. Lapis glanced over her shoulder at all of the hastily thrown together constructs the Omega Colony called home. "We could help them build a safer place to live. I mean, we spent all morning building our new silo. So, we could probably fix this place up if we tried hard enough..."

Peridot scratched her head. "I mean...we do have a bunch of spare parts lying around the barnyard. And we have more money that we know what to do with..."

Connie nodded. "Yeah. And I'm familiar with how to baby-proof a home. My Mom made sure that nothing in our house could hurt me when I was little..."

The three of them turned to Jasper, waiting for her input. Jasper lowered her head, hiding her eyes behind her hair. "Wh...whatever. Let's just get this over with..."

The others nodded. Lapis sighed. "Okay then. You guys go and start getting stuff together. I'll go and let them know that we're going to be away for a bit. We need to hurry everyone, we're running out of daylight..."

Peridot nodded. "Okay. But...Lapis..."

Lapis turned to her smaller, green colleague. "Yeah?"

Peridot frowned. "We...should keep their fragile conditions to ourselves for now. If they know...I'm afraid of how they might react..."

Lapis sighed, a sad look crossing her face. But, she nodded. "Good call. Don't want to freak them out...we'll let them know a bit down the road..."

The B-Team all nodded to one another, and then they broke. Jasper, Connie, and Peridot all ran for the Warp Pad while Lapis flew towards the crowd of Omega Colony Gems to let them know what was going on.

Meanwhile, in her unseen hiding place, Black Onyx pulled her knees up to her face. She clenched her legs tight as her lower lip began to tremble.

 _30 minutes later..._

In a flash of the Warp Pad, the B-Team all returned to the Omega Colony, each of them loaded down with supplies. Using her Ferrokinesis, Peridot hefted the container of metal supplies they had brought off of the ground. Jasper grunted as she balanced several pallets of wood across her shoulders. Lapis grabbed hundreds of sheets of safety padding with her water wings and Connie carried two toolboxes full of tools. They all looked at one another and nodded, and then they went running towards the Colony.

They entered the Colony and were immediately met by a crowd of smiling faces. Little Lappy was happy to run up to them as the four of them began to work. "What are you guys doing?"

Lapis smiled down at her shorter counterpart. "Well, we are your Progenitors, right?"

Little Lappy nodded as the others crowded around her. "Uh-huh."

Lapis sighed. "Well, as your Progenitors, we're going to do something for you! We're going to make your homes nicer! And bigger!"

Andesine smiled wide. "Oh! That's so nice of you!"

Citrine nodded. "Safety is always a good thing..."

Picasso raised her hand. "May we do anything to help?"

Connie turned to the Colonists. "Of course you can!"

The human girl quickly ran over to the container of metal supplies that Peridot had brought and grabbed out several big cans of paint. "You guys can paint things! We brought a bunch of different shades and colors! You can customize your houses to look however you want!"

Topaz smiled. "That sounds nice! Do you have blue?"

Connie chuckled and nodded, handing Topaz a large can and a paint brush. "Of course we have blue! Please, take it! Have fun!"

Topaz happily took the paint. The others quickly took their own paint as well. Citrine took orange. Star Diopside took black and a smaller can of red. Andesine took pink. Picasso took a claming biege. Little Lappy and Tiger took seafoam green and blood red. Iolite took purple and Jet-Lignite took grey.

Connie smiled as all of them wondered off and began to spread paint on things with their brushes. "Okay guys! Just don't use all of it! Save some for when we're done with your new houses!"

Jasper was blunt. "First house done!"

The Quartz roughly through the hastily, yet solidly built woodframe house to the ground. It was quickly swarmed by Lapis and Peridot, applying a roof to and covering it in safety padding respectively. Connie nodded. "Looks good! Now we have to go set it in place and let someone claim it!"

A meek voice spoke up. "Um...may I have it? And some black paint...please..."

Connie turned and smiled at the sight of Black Onyx, slowly walking up to them with a dour look on her face. Connie smiled. "Of course you can Onyx! We did meet you first after all! Just lead us to wherever you sleep and we'll get to work installing it for you!"

Onyx, swallowing the sadness in her throat, nodded and smiled. "O-of course! It's this way!"

Connie smiled. "Okay! Let's go! I have the paint!"

Peridot picked up a roll of carpet. "I have the carpet!"

Lapis, pulling moisture from the air, created a medium-sized water hand, lifting up the house. "I have the house!"

And then, as Jasper continued to build houses as quickly as she could, Lapis, Peridot, and Connie followed Black Onyx to finish building her new little residence. They had a long day ahead of them, so they had to hurry.

 _Later that afternoon..._

The B-Team all sighed and fell to the ground. It had been a long day of work, but they had finally finished it. They had built up the Omega Colony. Connie looked around at all they had built, newly painted homes and safety foam as far as the eye could see.

Their Progeny would be safe now.

Little Lappy smiled and laughed as she and Tiger Jasper finished painting their home, the seafoam green clashing like crazy with the blood red, although that didn't really matter.

The other homes all looked great as well: Citrine's was a bright safety orange with several white lines so that no one would accidently run into it, Picasso's was a lovely, welcoming shade of biege, Topaz's was covered in intricate blue lotus flowers, Star Diopside's was black with red stars, Andesine's was almost offensively neon pink, Iolite and Jet-Lignite's was covered in purple and grey pinstripes, and Black Onyx's was black with little white flowers and stars all over it.

The Omega Colonists were all grateful as they looked around their newly constructed homes. The Progenitor's, people they weren't even sure existed prior to today, had come and made things better for everyone in the colony. And everyone was in a celebratory mood.

Now, they didn't want them to go.

The Omega Colonist's all took fleeting glances at their Progenitor's, the four of them laying on the ground, tired out from the effort of basically building a small town in under 3 hours. The murmured amongst themselves.

Jet-Lignite nodded. "We should ask them! They've been so nice to us, maybe they'll say yes!"

Iolite goofily chuckled and nodded. "We could even let them stay in our new houses! Jetty and I have room for one more! Maybe the adorable little green one can stay with us..."

Picasso Jasper took a deep breath and sighed. "I...I'm not saying we shouldn't ask. I'm just saying that we might be pushing it a tiny bit. They've given us so much and they barely know us, so..."

Citrine smiled from ear-to-ear. "So what?! We can trust them! They've proven we can trust them! So...it won't hurt to at least ask, right Onyx?"

Black Onyx frowned. She glanced away from Citrine, remaining silent. Citrine cocked her head. "Onyx...you okay Sis? You seem..."

Onyx quickly shook her head. "I'm fine Citrine. I'm just a bit...tired. I'm a bit tired..."

Andesine nodded. "I'd imagine so. You did just get back from a huge trip. Maybe you should go lay down?"

Onyx nodded, turning and walking towards her house. "Yeah...I'll just go and lay down..."

As Black Onyx shuffled away, Topaz frowned. "I hope she feels better. She did bring them here after all, we owe her as much thanks as we owe the Progenitors..."

Little Lappy smiled. "Uh-huh. But, we'll do something nice for her when she feels better. For now..."

The tiny Lapis jumped from Tiger Jasper's shoulder. "For now we need to show our thanks to our creators. So, you guys go get things ready, and I'll go ask!"

Little Lappy giggled. "The worst they can do is say 'no'..."

And, with that, Little Lappy merrily skipped over to the Progenitor's, all laying in a heap on the rocky floor of the canyon. Seeing them whispering something to one another, and not wanting to be rude, she loudly announced herself. "Uh...excuse me! Ms. Lapis, Ms. Peridot, Ms. Jasper, Ms. Connie!"

The Progenitors all nearly jumped out of their skins. Quickly Peridot and Connie both sat up and somewhat nervously smiled at Lappy. Peridot nodded. "Hey Lappy! Are you and Tiger enjoying your new house?"

Lappy smiled and nodded. "Yes ma'am. We love it! We just got done painting just a few minutes ago."

Connie smiled. "Well that's nice! We're glad we could help you guys out!"

Little Lappy nodded. "Yes ma'am. We are too. And...we'd like to thank you for all that you've done...if you'd like..."

Lapis sat up and smiled. "Sure...what'd you have in mind Lapis?"

Little Lappy giggled. "We were going to throw a little party. It's...not much. We mostly just sit around a fire that Citrine makes with her breath and talk and watch to see if anyone else comes out of the ground..."

She smiled wide. "But we'd love for you to join us!"

The B-Team looked dumbfounded. Lappy shook her head. "We...we aren't asking for you to live here! We know that you have your own lives and stuff...we just wanted to ask if you'd stay for the evening..."

The B-Team remained silent. They didn't really know what to say. As they sat there, silently trying to think of a response, Lappy patiently waiting for their answer with a cherubic smile on her face.

This silence was broken by the sound of Connie's phone ringing. The human girl flinched in shock and quickly pulled it out and answered it. "Hello?"

"Oh...hey Mom..."

"Uh-huh."

"Uh-huh"

"Yes ma'am."

"Okay."

"See you in 15 minutes."

Connie hung up, turned to Little Lappy, and frowned. "I'm sorry Lappy. That was my Mom on the phone. She's coming to pick me up, so I have to go..."

Lappy smiled and nodded. "It's fine Ms. Connie..."

The little blue Gem ran up to Connie and grabbed her into a big hug. "It was still nice to meet you! I hope I get to see you again soon!"

Connie smiled and nodded, returning her Progeny's hug. "I'll be back to visit soon. I promise!"

And, with that, Connie turned, grabbing her bag, and walked towards the exit to the canyon. She waved goodbye to Lapis, Peridot, and Jasper, all of whom waved goodbye back, and then she was gone.

After Connie was gone, Lappy turned back to Lapis, Peridot, and Jasper, a hopeful glint in her eyes. "What about the three of you? Would you be up to stay?"

Lapis, Peridot and Jasper all turned and looked at one another. And then, they turned and looked back at Little Lappy. The precocious little blue bauble, a shining smile on her face, was eagerly awaiting their answer.

After a moment, Lapis smiled and relented. "I'd _love_ to stay and get to know all of you."

Peridot grinned and chuckled, standing up and softly clapping her hand on Lappy's shoulder. "I would too! Yeah! Let's gather around a fire and see if anyone else needs a house built! Right, Jasper?!"

Lapis, Peridot, and Little Lappy all turned and glanced at Jasper. Peridot and Lappy both had wide smiles on their faces. Lapis, while trying to smile, couldn't help but shoot an irritated, somewhat expectant look at the larger Quartz.

Jasper frowned. Standing up, the Quartz shook her head. "Nah. I'm good. I've had enough for today. I'm going back to the Barn..."

Lappy's smile briefly flickered away. For just a moment, it was replaced by a look of pure hurt. But, then, she smiled and nodded. "That's fine. You can just come back later and-"

As Little Lappy walked forward, reassuring Jasper and seeking a hug, Jasper coldly turned away and walked towards the exit of the canyon. "Yeah. Whatever. Call me if another house needs to be built..."

As Jasper walked away, Little Lappy frowned. Her lower lips began to tremble as Jasper walked away, but Peridot quickly swooped in and tried to fix the situation. "It's okay Lappy. It's okay! Don't be upset!"

Lapis, scowling at Jasper as she walked away, walked up to Lappy and grabbed her into a hug. "Yeah. It's fine Lapis. Just ignore her. It's not your fault that Jasper's a _giant a_ -"

Peridot quickly clamped her hands over Lappy's ears. "Lapis! That's not appropriate!"

Lapis shook her head and turned away from Jasper. "But it's true! And you know it is! What reason does she have to act like that?!"

Peridot frowned and turned her gaze to the ground. "I...I mean...I..."

Lapis gently took Lappy's hand and the three of them walked back towards the center of the Omega Colony. "See?! You can't even come up with a good point! She's being a distant jerk towards these guys for absolutely no reason!"

Jasper flinched and clenched her fists as she walked towards the Warp Pad. She wanted to turn and yell something at Lapis, but she didn't. She merely sneered and stomped her way to the Warp Pad. It had been a long day and she just wanted to go home.

 _Back at the Barn..._

Jasper tiredly sighed as she took a seat on the roof of the Barn. It was a clear night sky and she could see it: the Moon. The place where she never got to see her. The place where she died.

Jasper sighed and buried her face in her hands. And then, she began to reflect again. She began to reflect on the concept of this new thing in her life. What was it Amethyst had called it...?

Jasper shuddered.

"Family."

She was, to say the least, not prepared for this. She never had been. Not in dealing with the Gems stationed at the Zoo. Not in dealing with Amethyst on the regular. Not with dealing with Lapis and Peridot on the daily. And...not now.

It didn't gel with her. It didn't fit her personality. Relationships this intimate were something she had never thought about until Malachite had happened. And, even now, she wasn't comfortable with them. Being close to people hurt her in a way she couldn't describe.

Jasper groaned and thought back onto what Amethyst had talked with her about back when she was still upset over what had happened with that Ruby.

She remembered the content smile on Amethyst's face. ""Well...she was kind of like...my-"

Jasper groaned. " _Mom..._ "

And then, the Quartz thought back to earlier in the day. She thought back to the joyous smiles on the face of each of the Omega Colonists. Black Onyx and Star Diopside and Picasso Jasper and Andesine and Tiger Jasper and Iolite and Citrine and Topaz and Jet Lignite and that smaller Lapis Lazuli.

And then, Jasper's thoughts flashed onto Pink Diamond.

Jasper groaned again. " _Mom..._ "

Jasper frowned and pulled her face from her hands. She glanced up at the Moon with a more vunerable expression than she had ever managed in front of other people. She was...scared.

Jasper let loose one more groan, alongside a shuddering sigh. "I'm...not ready to be a Mom..."

 _ **OC Credits! :D (Thanks for lending me your characters everyone!)**_

 **Star Diopside** created by **FanficLovingPerson**

 **Picasso Jasper** created by **MyShatteredDreamscape**

 **Andesine** created by **Storygirl000**

 **Tiger Jasper** created by **RedHood001**

 **Iolite** created by **meez13rulez**

 **Citrine** created by **FanficFan920**

 **Topaz** created by **ShadowedPrimordial**

 **Jet Lignite** created by **Jetlag-Ocelot**

 **Lapis "Little Lappy" Lazuli** created by **supersaiyanjin219**


	47. Chapter 47: Stuck in an Elevator

**Steven Universe: Connie and the B-Team**

 **Chapter 47: Stuck in an Elevator**

 _A/N: Sorry this took so long. I had a full Chapter planned, one involving Ronaldo...then I saw "Rocknaldo" and remembered just why I hate Ronaldo as a character. So, I scrapped it for what I hope is a better story._

 _Another A/N: Yes. I know that her name isn't Pink Hair. But, calling her "S" really annoys me for some reason. Single-letter names have always bothered me. So, if they ever actually reveal her name, I'll go back and retroactively change all instances of Pink Hair to whatever "S" stands for. But, until then, Pink Hair is what I'm putting in place of a name._

 _Final A/N: And I just realized I didn't put OC credits in 46. Consider that fixed!_

 _Empire City Mega Mall..._

Steven and Connie both stared in awe at the sprawling sight of the _Empire City Mega Mall_. The two of them ran forward towards the entrance, surrounded by gigantic, amazing water fountains. They both laughed to one another. Steven smiled. "I can't believe it! I've never seen a store this big before!"

Connie nodded in agreement. "My parents have only brought me here once to buy clothes for school!"

Connie looked all around, totally starry-eyed. "I can't wait to look around and see what else is here!"

Steven smiled and turned around, shouting to their two guardians for today. "Pearl! Pink Hair! Hurry up! We have so much stuff to see!"

Pearl and Pink Hair both followed behind the two kids. Pink Hair was having fun. The ride over had been nice, Pearl clutching onto her as they rode her motorcyle and Steven and Connie enjoying the side car she had brought along.

Pearl, on the other hand, looked quite distracted. She furrowed her brow as she stared down at the list she had made before they left. "Slow down you two! We can't get distracted looking around! We're here to get something specific and then we're going to head back to Beach City! Garnet and Amethyst should have the greenhouse built by then."

Pearl shivered, thinking about what she had just said. "At least...I hope so..."

The thin Gem thought back to the conversation they all had that morning. On Steven's suggestion, Garnet had agreed that they were going to build a community greenhouse for the people of Beach City to use. Apparently, they had to do something to give back to the community for all of the damage they had caused when fighting monsters.

Pearl grumbled. "Give back to the community. Give them back the monsters that they would have to fight if-"

Pink Hair chuckled and placed her hand on Pearl's shoulder. "Babe...calm down. Let's just try to enjoy our day out, yeah?"

Pearl frowned and looked up at Pink Hair, recalling her showing up and offering to help, saying that she'd love to spend more time with Pearl and her family. "I'd love to have fun...but Steven promised our time away already. We need to hurry up and go to the _Garden in the Sky_ and-"

Pink Hair pointed towards Connie and Steven. "But look at how much fun they're having."

The two of them looked forward and smiled at the sight of Steven and Connie dipping their hands into one of the water fountains. They quickly caught up to the two kids and overheard them talking.

Steven splashed his hand in the water and turned to Connie. "So, I didn't think you'd be here today Connie. I thought you'd be hanging out with Lapis and Peridot and Jasper again like you've been for the past two weeks."

Connie shrugged. "I missed you Steven. I was pretty excited when I decided to come on this trip this morning. Besides, they should be able to handle things on their own for a little bit."

Steven was confused. "What do you mean by handle things? Is something wrong up at the Barn?"

Connie gasped. "Uh...no! Nothing's wrong! Nothing at all! They're just...uh...making things and they needed my help to care for them! But, they should be able to handle things by themselves!"

Steven smiled. "Oh, cool! What are they making?"

Connie cringed. "Uh...houses...they're building little houses..."

Steven looked confused. "That's a bit weird."

Connie was quick to retort. "Do we know any Gems that have normal hobbies?"

Steven glanced down in thought. "I guess you have a point there..."

Connie nodded. "Yeah. So, they can handle their stuff without me for now! I'll go and check on them later. For now..."

Connie smiled. "I'm excited to explore the mall!"

Steven and Connie both turned to Pearl and Pink Hair. Pearl sighed and smiled. "Are you two ready to go?"

The kids both nodded. Pearl nodded back. "Okay then. You can look around while we're heading to it, but let's try to hurry and go to the _Garden in the Sky_. We need to get some seeds to put in the greenhouse."

Pearl pulled out her list that she had made before hand. "We also need a trowel, a shovel, some fertilizer, a few pots, a rake, weed killer..."

As Pearl went on and on over her list, Pink Hair grinned from ear-to-ear and motioned for the kids to run ahead with her. As the three of them sneaked away, Pearl continued. She didn't notice they were gone until they were well past the entrance.

Pearl looked around, confused as to where her group had gone. She looked ahead on the path and gasped at the sight of a shock of pink hair a few meters ahead of her. "Hold on! Wait for me!"

 _Empire City Mega Mall – Food Court..._

Pearl grumbled to Pink Hair as Connie and Steven both oggled the newest Gamestation in the window of the PlayStop. "I'm just saying...a good plan is the only thing standing between a day going well and a day falling apart. I'm not trying to ruin the fun, I'm just trying to make sure everything gets done properly."

Pink Hair nodded. "I know Babe. I get it. I get it. But, you have to look from other peoples perspectives sometimes."

Pink Hair pointed to Connie and Steven. "They're kids. They don't want to have to stick to a plan all the time. Sometimes, they just want to have fun. Just go with the flow and see what happens, ya know?"

Pearl grumbled and crossed her arms. "Going with the flow is a good way to drown..."

She shook her head. "If we had planned better, we might have been more prepared when the Aquamarines attacked! We should have known that a festival couldn't have gone by without something showing up and attacking it!"

Pink Hair nodded. "Okay. I see your point, but I have a counterpoint for you Babe."

Pearl glanced over at Pink Hair. "What is it?"

Pink Hair smiled. "Did you plan to meet me? Was showing up at a party you weren't invited to to talk to me after seeing me in a Donut store something you had planned for weeks on end?"

Pearl's jaw dropped open. Pink Hair chuckled. "Cuz, if so, Square 'Fro isn't the only one that can see into the future..."

Pearl fell silent and frowned. Pink Hair was quick to jump on this. "Babe. Don't be upset! I love you and your way of doing things! Watching you get excited while you plan something puts the cutest little smile on your face and I love that smile. You just need to take it easy sometimes. Okay?"

Pearl sighed. Pink Hair grabbed her hand. "Sometimes, the unexpected can bring some nice stuff into you life. For instance..."

Looking to make sure that Connie and Steven weren't looking, Pink Hair gently grabbed the back of Pearl's head and pulled her into a deep, loving kiss. She kept the kiss going until she felt Pearl go limp, and then she stopped. "Tell me...we're you expecting that?"

Pearl shook her head. "N-no...no I...I..."

Pink Hair giggled. "Did you enjoy it?"

Pearl nodded her head in confirmation. Pink Hair smiled. "Then, maybe I could convince you to loosen up for a bit? I...I want to make a really good impression...now that I have the chance to..."

Pink Hair's face fell serious and she sneaked a glance at Steven. "Babe. This is my first time out, alone, with you and...your kid..."

A nervous glimmer entered Pink Hair's eyes. "If our relationship is going to go any further...I want to get to know him too. Because I don't think this will work long-term if he ends up not liking me..."

Pearl frowned as Pink Hair continued to talk. She shook her head. "Steven isn't...he's not..."

Pink Hair frowned and shook her head. "Don't say he's not your kid."

Pearl frowned. "But...he's not. He's Rose and Greg's son. And I'm certainly not Rose..."

Pink Hair shrugged. "What does that matter dude? Rose might be his Mom, but you, those other two, and that old man are the ones who raised him. It might not be biological, but your his Mom dude. You take care of him. You have as much right to say you're his parent as anyone does."

Pink Hair smiled. "And, if I'm going to be with you...I want him to like me too."

Pearl smiled, quietly appreciating the gesture. Pink Hair nodded. "Now...please let me try to impress him."

Pearl looked Pink Hair in the eye, seeing the sincerety on the human's face, and she smiled. Silently, Pearl nodded and allowed Pink Hair to lead the way. The human women grinned from ear-to-ear and ran up to Connie and Steven, wrapping her arms around their shoulders. "Hey guys! Whatcha' lookin' at?!"

Steven smiled wide. "The new Gamestation! I'm thinking about asking my Dad for one for my Birthday this year!"

Pink Hair nodded. "Yeah. That's cool. I got one for free back when I worked at PlayStop. It's a nice system."

Steven chuckled. "If I get one, we should be friends on it. We can play together."

Pink Hair nodded. "Definitely! We can definitely do that!"

Connie smiled. "Maybe I could ask my Mom if I can get one too. Maybe..."

Pink Hair smirked. "If you get one, then friend me! We can do games together!"

Connie smiled wide and blushed. "M-maybe...I know that Jasper and Peridot have a Gamestation that they fight over..."

Pink Hair shrugged. "Hey, I'll play with them. I might mute the orange one, but I'll play with them. But..."

Pink Hair smiled. "...that's besides the point right now. I actually came over here to ask a question."

Steven and Connie both turned to Pink Hair. She smiled. "You two want some ice cream?"

Steven and Connie both lit up at the suggestion and eagerly nodded. Pink Hair chuckled and turned, pointing across the food court to the Feline Freeze Shoppe across the way. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her credit card. "You two get whatever you want. Get me a scoop of Coffee Bean."

Steven's jaw dropped in amazement. "I can't believe it...I've only ever read about them on the internet...I CAN'T BELIEVE FELINE FREEZE IS AN ACTUAL STORE!"

Steven smiled wide and grabbed Pink Hair into a hug. "Thank you!"

And then, he ran off towards the Ice Cream Shoppe, Connie quickly following behind. "Hey, Steven, wait for me!"

As the two kids ran off towards Feline Freeze, Pink Hair turned to Pearl and winked. "See? Off schedule and they're happy!"

And then, taking Pearl's hand, Pink Hair quickly followed after the two excited children.

 _Inside the Feline Freeze Shoppe..._

Pearl sat down in the chair at the table the others had picked. She looked annoyed that her schedule was being so thoroughly ignored. But, after a moment, she sighed and shook her head. She looked over at Steven and Connie enjoying putting toppings on their ice cream alongside Pink Hair, and then she smiled.

Her...lover. That was a good word for it. Her lover was getting along with Steven. And Steven seemed to enjoy being around her. That, above all else, made her happy. So, maybe Pink Hair was right. Maybe, just maybe, going off schedule wasn't such as bad thing sometimes.

Pearl watched as the three of them ate their ice cream. Connie was enjoying a caramel sundae, Pink Hair had a cone of (admittedly pleasant smelling) Coffee Bean ice cream, and Steven was nearly in tears as he ate one of his beloved Cookie Cats. They weren't completely discontinued! They just stopped selling them in individual packages!

Pink Hair smiled and gave Steven a friendly pat on the back. "Don't eat too fast! You'll get brain freeze!"

The human woman turned to Pearl. "Hey, Babe. You want a lick of mine? I see you keep eyeing it!"

Pearl flinched back, a bead of sweat appearing on her forehead. "Uh..."

She looked at Pink Hair's face, seeing the genuine smile spread across her angelic, tanned cheeks. Pearl sighed. "O-okay..."

Pearl took the cone and, struggling with all of her might, she managed to lap up a single drop of melted coffee ice cream into her mouth and, with an even more Herculian effort, she managed to swallow it. Politely, she smiled and handed Pink Hair back her ice cream. "Th-thank you..."

Pearl shivered and stood up. "Well. That was fun! But, we still do have a schedule to keep!"

The thin Gem smiled. "You all go ahead and finish your ice cream and then catch up with me. I'm running ahead to go and get what we need from the Garden in the Sky!"

Pearl pointed to the nearby store directory. "Just follow what that map says when your done and you'll be able to find me. It's on the fifth floor."

Steven and Connie both smile and nod. Steven waved by and Connie continued to eat her ice cream. Pink Hair sighed. "Okay Babe. We'll catch up to you when we're done. Try not to get too flustered!"

Pearl sighed and nodded and then, she was off.

Pearl hummed a tune to herself as she walked towards the escalators and the elevators. She shook her head. She had always been one to prefer stairs over elevators. She was much quicker than any sort of lift ever could be.

Being so focused on her list, Pearl quickly made her way up the escalator, not even noticing the group of workers gathered around the entrance to the elevator.

One of the repairmen smashed his fist into the button console and grunted. "Welp. It should be fixed now."

The mall manager frowned. "Are you sure?! This elevator being down is costing the upper floors 6.2% of the business they'd receive every hour it's down! Are you sure that it's fixed."

The other worker, this one holding a diagnostic meter, nodded. "Yes. The readouts say that this elevator is technologically sound sir. It should be ready to open back up without jamming anymore!"

The manager nodded. "Good. Good. Then clean all of this caution nonsense up! It's disturbing the shoppers!"

 _Feline Freeze Ice Cream Shoppe..._

Pink Hair, Steven, and Connie all looked absolutely content as they exited the Ice Cream Shoppe. Steven let loose a small belch as they walked towards the escalators and the elevators. "Oops. Excuse me..."

Pink Hair chuckled and released an even bigger belch. "It's cool, Little Dude! Everyone burps, right Connie?"

Connie blushed, but then she released a baby belch. "Y-yeah. I...I guess so!"

Pink Hair happily nodded. "See? Nothing to be worried about! Now, let's get up that escalator! Knowing Pearl, she's probably already at the Garden Store."

Steven smiled wide. "She might be but...we might be able to beat her up there if we hurry!"

Pink Hair smirked. "I'm listening Little Man. What's the plan?"

Steven pointed across the food court. "If we take the elevator, we might be able to beat her up there!"

Connie chuckled and nodded. "Yeah! I bet Pearl's still having trouble getting through the crowds on the way up to the fifth floor. Let's do it!"

Pink Hair frowned as the two kids ran ahead of her. "Elevator huh...? Well..."

She gripped her fist. "Okay then. Just go with the flow..."

 _Inside the Elevator..._

Steven, Connie, and Pink Hair all piled into the elevator and, with a huge grin on his face, Steven pressed the "5" button. As the doors sealed shut, Pink Hair grimaced.

Connie glanced up at Pink Hair. "Are you okay?"

Pink Hair nodded. "Yeah. I just really hate the muzak they play in these friggin' things. Gives me a headache..."

Steven frowned. "Are you going to be okay?"

Pink Hair winked and shot Steven a thumbs up. "I'm cool little guy! I'm not like that orange one! A little inconvenience isn't going to ruin my day!"

Connie frowned. "Jasper isn't...I mean she...uh...hmm..."

Steven turned to Connie. "How are Lapis, Peridot, and Jasper anyway? It's been a while now since we've heard from any of them. Usually Peridot at least calls me to tell me about Jasper and Lapis arguing with one another..."

Connie blushed and quickly became flustered. "Uh...they're...uh...they're fine! They've just been busy handling some...uh...things we made together!"

Steven cocked his head. "You mean like meep-morp?"

Connie nodded. "Yeah! Meep-Morp! Lot's of meep-morp!"

Steven smiled. "Well cool! I'd love to see it some time!"

Connie nodded and turned to Pink Hair, seeing a bit of sweat running down her face. "Are you hot?"

Pink Hair blushed and quickly wiped the sweat from her cheek. "You know it Babe!"

Connie cocked her head. "What?"

Pink Hair grimaced and her face glowed red. "N-nothing. Sorry! That's just...what I say to my girlfriend when she asks me if I'm hot..."

Steven nodded and chuckled. "Heh. I bet Pearl didn't get it when your first said that..."

Pink Hair nodded back. "No. No she didn _WAIT WHAT?!_ "

Pink Hair practically jumped out of her boots as she flinched back from Steven, her back smashing hard into the elevator wall as she recoiled in shock.

 _Meanwhile, in the Elevator Shaft..._

The sudden force of something hefty rumbling around inside the elevator, the vibrations ran from the caddy, up to the cables that allowed it to move. This extra strain taxed against the already aged and frail cables.

Up nearer to the pulleys that the cables fed into, a fray in the cord only worked itself bigger and bigger from this pressure, each of the individual strands snapping one at a time at first and the damage getting progressively worse until, with a sickening snap, the cable broke in twain.

The cord fell from its place and, the weight of the caddy no longer being properly supported, the elevator lurch downward and the caddy tumbled onto its side, getting wedged in a spot within the shaft between the third and fourth floors.

 _Back in the Elevator..._

A chrous of groans echoed out in the small, metal box as the three passengers within recollected themselves. For a couple moments, they were draped in inky blackness, none of the three of them able to gather quite what had happened. And then, the emergency lights flashed on and Pink Hair, Connie, and Steven were all bathed in eerie red light.

Pink Hair, Steven, and Connie all sat up, none of them injured, and they looked totally shocked. Pink Hair was quick to the point. "What happened?!"

Connie grimaced. "I think...given that we're currently all sitting on a wall...the elevator had some kind of malfunction..."

Fruitlessly, Connie crawled over the the button console and jabbed the open door button but it was to no avail. She turned to Steven and the little half-Quartz looked up. He reached up to the door and, using his incredible strength, her tried to pry it open. But, with the giant dent that had some how formed in it, the doors didn't budge.

Pink Hair appeared to be getting nervous. She quickly scrambled over to the ceiling of the elevator and ripped out several of light panels until she found what she was looking for. "Here! The emergency exit hatch! Help me push it open!"

Steven and Connie both nodded and quickly joined Pink Hair in pushing on the hatch. The pushed and pushed as hard as they could, but to no avail.

The three of them fell back and Connie sighed. "We must be wedged in between the walls..."

Steven grimaced. "We're trapped..."

Thinking quickly and taking a deep breath, Pink Hair raised her voice. "Hold it you two! No reason to freak out! We're fine!"

Steven and Connie both turned to Pink Hair and saw the nervous, but genuine smile on her face. Pink Hair, gripped her fists, her knuckles turning white. "Now, why don't the three of us just huddle up in a corner near the floor over there so that when they fish this thing back up we don't go tumbling around?"

Connie and Steven both smiled and nodded. The two of them quickly complied and crawled over to Pink Hair, huddling into a safe little corner with her. She quickly draped her arms out, placing one over each of them, and she smiled. "And now we..."

Pink Hair sighed. "We wait..."

Steven turned to Pink Hair and frowned. "Wait for what?"

Pink Hair nervously bit her lip ring. "Fire department. Elevator maintenance. Maybe Pearl..."

 _The Garden in the Sky..._

Pearl sneezed after taking a deep sniff of a sunflower. "Ugh...I hate these things..."

She quickly put the flower back in it's spot on the rack and began to rifle through the rest of the selection. It wasn't like she didn't have time, the others were taking forever with their ice cream, and she didn't want to ruin their good time, so why not take a moment to stop and smell the flowers?

Pearl smiled upon picking up another planter full of flowers and finding the makings of a rose bush planted within it. Already, despite it being so young, Pearl could make out the beginnings of little rose buds growing from the otherwise messy pile of leaves and twigs.

Nodding, Pearl quickly placed the little rose bush into her basket next to the seeds and other trimmings that the greenhouse needed. She sighed and looked towards the sunny area where the fertilizer was kept. "I guess I had better just grab a few bags of that and-"

Pearl quickly stopped and looked down at a vibrant flash of pink that had caught her eye. The thin Gem reached down and picked up the small bundle of flowers. She read the tag. "Carnations..."

Pearl lovingly stared down at the little, delicate pink flowers. Their color reminded Pearl of...her. And the thought of her made Pearl smile. Nodding, Pearl placed the carnations in her basket, next to the roses and sighed. "Now, time to get the fertilizer..."

 _Back in the Elevator..._

Connie sighed and nodded. "Yeah...I mean, I know she's looking out for my best interests and that she's been lightening up a lot lately...but she can still be quite a bit overbearing sometimes..."

Pink Hair smiled and shook her head. "That's just what a Mom does Sweetie. Trust me, my Mom was always like that. Hovered over me all throughout school. All throughout college. She was devastated when I dropped out..."

Pink Hair crossed her arms and frowned. "...sometimes I'm afraid that she's ashamed of me after everything that's happened..."

Connie gently smiled. "I don't think she is. You're a good person! And, no matter what, my Mom always tries to remind me that she loves me and stuff..."

Connie laid her head onto Pink Hair's shoulder. "And your Mom sounds like my Mom, so I bet she's about the same."

Steven took a deep breath and sighed. "Yeah. I bet both of your Mom's love you guys a lot..."

Connie instantly frowned. "Oh Steven..."

Pink Hair turned to Steven. "Yours loved you too."

Steven and Connie both flinched. Pink Hair smiled. "I mean. I never met her, so I don't have proof or anything...but I'm sure she loves you Little Man. You're a nice, sweet kid!"

Steven blushed. "Th-thanks..."

Pink Hair chuckled. "No. I mean it. Why would your Mom not be proud of you? I mean...look at you! You're only a teenager and you've already helped to save the world! You're a great kid!"

Steven nodded. "Thank you. I just...I wish that I could actually ask her sometimes. I've been in her room before...I've asked there...but I don't know what to make of what I heard. I mean...I don't know whether is was her...or if it was just me telling myself what I want to hear. I just...I don't know..."

Pink Hair frowned. "You aren't the only one who feels that way ya know. Pearl talks about stuff like this all the time. She's laughed...and cried. She's opened up to me quite a bit about this stuff. So, I at least know what you're all going through..."

Steven nervously glanced up at Pink Hair, taking a glance at her familiar features, and then he looked away. Pink Hair smiled. "You guys are both aware of our relationship. Right?"

Steven and Connie both nodded. Pink Hair sighed. "Okay then. Then I'll be honest with the both of you. You're mature enough to hear this sort of stuff..."

The kids both looked up at Pink Hair. The woman's face was tense as she worked up the willingness to speak her thoughts. "I...I know why Pearl was attracted to me at first..."

Pink Hair sadly glanced down at Steven. "I was nothing more to her than someone who just happened to look like your Mom...that was the only reason she ever bothered to talk to me in the first place..."

In response, Connie gasped. Steven shamefully flinched away from Pink Hair. "I'm...I'm so sorry. That must have-"

Pink Hair leaned back. "Hurt my feelings? Yeah. When I first saw that painting hanging above your door and put two and two together...yeah, it did. It hurt my feelings a lot. And, to be fair, if I had known that when I had first met Pearl...I probably would have told her to shove off and leave me alone..."

Steven and Connie both frowned at the thought of that. But, Pink Hair serenely smiled. "But, lucky for me, I got to know her for a few months before that happened. And I'm glad I did..."

Steven and Connie both looked up at Pink Hair and saw happy tears welling at the corners of her eyes. "It makes me kinda sad to think about it...if things had happened in a different order...I might have abandoned the love of my life..."

Pink Hair glanced down at Steven. "I do love her you know. I love her a lot. She's become my best friend of the course of the last bit of my life!"

Steven and Connie both smiled and chuckled. Steven nodded. "I'm glad that you love Pearl so much. And...I'm really glad that she has you too. She's been so much happier since she's started to spend time with you. She's been having more fun...she cries less..."

Pink Hair nodded. "Yeah. She's not that great at hiding her feelings. But, that's one of my favorite things about her. She's honest. Honest to a fault sometimes, but really honest. She's one of the most genuine people I've ever met..."

Pink Hair looked down at Steven. "But, before I really commit to this relationship, I just need..."

Steven looked up at Pink Hair. "Need what?"

Pink Hair blushed. "You...Pearl isn't your Mom. Not in the biological sense. But, she is one of the people who raised you up. You're...you're her kid. So, before I really get involved in this...like really, REALLY involved, I-"

Steven, knowing what Pink Hair was struggling to say, simply wrapped his arms around her, giving her a giant hug. Pink Hair's irises went star-shaped. And then, she smiled wide and returned the hug. "Thank you Steven..."

 _Empire City Mega Mall – Food Court..._

Pearl nervously looked around the Food Court. She didn't see any of them. Balancing several sacks of fertilizer on her shoulders, Pearl nervously darted her gaze from restaurant to restaurant, from store to store, and she didn't see anything. No star t-shirts, no teal dresses, no pink hair.

Pearl groaned under her breath, setting her bags and her flowers onto a nearby table. "Where are they...?"

Pearl nervously bit down on her fingernails. "Maybe Amethyst is right. Maybe I should get a cell phone so things like..."

Pearl's glance briefly went over to the elevators. She caught a glance of the ruckus going on near the lifts, she looked away, and then she quickly looked back. Pearl gasped at the sight of it all, several of the maintenance men accompanied by the nervous looking manager and several concerned looking firefighters.

Picking up her things, Pearl quickly sprinted over to the gathered crowd of rescuers and tapped on the nearest firefighters shoulder. The woman turned to Pearl. "Yes ma'am? May I help you?"

Pearl looked flustered. "Wh-what's going on?! What's happening here?!"

The firefighter frowned. "Well, ma'am, from what we've gathered, a group of people, two children and an older woman went into this elevator and then it malfunctioned...now it's stuck in a rather tight spot between the third and fourth floors..."

The firefighter turned back and glanced at the door. She began to turn back to Pearl. "We're trying to think of a proper way to...ma'am?"

The firefighter stood there, confused, as Pearl seemed to have disappeared into thin air.

 _Back in the Elevator..._

Connie smiled as Steven and Pink Hair talked to and laughed with one another. She herself chuckled. It was good that Steven had another somewhat adult to talk to about things. The human girl leaned back as the two of them chatted. She wondered to herself what the Barn Gems and the Omega Colony were up to?

Suddenly, the elevator lurched.

Connie, Steven, and Pink Hair all gasped. Pink Hair's eyes went as wide as saucers. "Oh no! No no no no no no...!"

The elevator lurched again, shifting to an angle and sending Connie and Pink Hair tumbling on top of Steven. Connie cried out. "What's going on?! What's happening?!"

Pink Hair sounded faint. "It's going to fall! IT'S GOING TO FALL! NO!"

Acting quickly, Pink Hair reached out and grabbed Steven and Connie, squeezing them both so close to her that neither could really breath. Both kids were quick to notice that she was shaking like a leaf in high winds. But, despite that, Pink Hair cried out. "Stay calm! Just stay calm! Just-"

The elevator lurched even more, it was nearly back into its original postion. If it slipped just a bit more, they'd plummet. Pink Hair was hyperventilating, trying to fight back tears as she shakily reassured Steven and Connie. "We'll be fine. We'll be fine. We'll..."

Steven squeezed Pink Hair tight, his Gem glowing bright pink and forming a Bubble around the three of them. He looked up to Pink Hair and smiled wide. "Yeah. We'll be fine. After all, we have you here. Right?"

Pink Hair's breath hitched in her throat. Connie smiled and pulled herself close to Pink Hair, hugging her alongside Steven. "Yeah. We'll be fine. We have Steven here with his Bubble...and we have you! You've been so calm this entire time and you've been trying your best to help us not to panic. Everything will be just fine!"

And then silence. The three of them sat there, nervously awaiting the next lurch and the big drop that would follow it. It was, in a way, peaceful. In spite of the normal lights being off, the elevator music still persisted. It echoed out through elevator and, after a moment, all three of them began to hum along.

And then, the final lurch.

The elevator shifted back into its normal position, the three of them tumbling around in their Bubble as the emergency lights went out. In spite of the terror of it all, Pink Hair, Steven, and Connie remained calm. They huddled close together and prepared for the drop.

But, the drop never came.

After a moment, the three of them loosened up. They all sat there, totally confused as the elevator stalled. And then, the gasped as they felt the car begin to rise up.

Nothing happened again for a moment, but then a very familiar looking teal spear came jutting through the emergency exit. With a bit of strain, the hatch came flying open and the three people trapped inside breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of their savior. Using her foot to keep the severed cable held steady, Pearl reached down into the elevator. "Connie, Steven. You two first!"

Steven and Connie both nodded, reaching up and grabbing Pearl's hand. Pearl grunted and pulled them both from the elevator. And then, she reached her hand back in and motioned to Pink Hair. "Take my hand!"

Pink Hair nodded, quickly reaching up and grabbing Pearl's hand, yelping as the Gem yanked her from the elevator and plopped her onto the ground.

Now, finally free of the elevator, Pink Hair, Steven, and Connie all breathed a gigantic sigh of relief. Worried, Pearl turned to the three of them, fear in her eyes, and stammered out the only thing she could think to say. "ARE YOU ALL OKAY?!"

Steven and Connie both took a deep breath, and then they both nodded. Connie smiled. "We're fine Pearl."

Pearl frowned. Well, I'm glad to hear it. We're you scared at all?"

Steven nodded. "At first we were a bit scared, but we had Pink Hair down there to keep us calm!"

Connie nodded and chuckled. "Yeah. She was brave and cool-he-"

Suddenly, Connie was cut off by Pink Hair, having caught her breath, standing and running to Pearl, grabbing her into a huge hug. Pearl flinched in shock, but quickly returned the hug. Pink Hair sounded utterly flustered and worn out. "Thank you! Thank you so much! I...I've always tight spaces...and then it broke down and..."

She swallowed a lump in her throat. "I...I thought I was going to die..."

Pearl, ever the realist, was quick to counter. "I'm sure you would have been fine. I mean, Steven has his Bu-"

Pearl was immediately cut off by something she wasn't expecting. Right there, in front of Steven and Connie, Pink Hair grabbed Pearl by the back of her head and pulled her into a deep, loving kiss. Pearl grunted in shock, her feet slipping from under her and the cable snapping away.

As the elevator car began to tumble down, Pearl gently pushed Pink Hair away. "Wait! Connie and Steven are watching!"

 **CRASH!**

The sound of the elevator car smashing into the ground appeared to be more than Pink Hair could handle. Immediately after the crash, her face turned bright green. And then, pushing Pearl out of the way, she ran to the elevator shaft as the ice cream from earlier came back up.

Pearl flinched in shock, not knowing what to do as her girlfriend spilled her midday snack down the elevator shaft. Steven, however, smiled wide. He and Connie both walked up to Pearl, getting her attention and motioning for her to go and help Pink Hair.

Pearl nervously stared down at the half-Gem. "Steven, I..."

Steven smiled and winked at Pearl, giving her a reassuring hug. "I've known for a while now. And I'm glad that you've found someone to be happy with Pearl. Now..."

He pointed to Pink Hair, still spilling her guts. "Go and help her. She needs you!"

Blushing and adopting a small smile, Pearl turned and ran up to Pink Hair, kneeling and gently massaging her back. "It's okay. You're okay..."

As Pearl comforted her girlfriend, Connie's phone rang. She didn't recognize the number, but she still answered. "Hello?"

On the other end, with Kofi Pizza yelling in the background, Garnet sounded calm and cheerful. "Hey Connie. Could I talk to Steven real quick?"

Connie nodded. "Yes Garnet!"

Connie turned to Steven and handed him the phone. Steven, still smiling, put the phone up to his ear. "Yes Garnet?"

Garnet sounded absolutely delighted. "So, I take it it went well?"

Steven smiled as he watched Pearl grab her dry-heaving lover into a hug, being so openly affectionate in spite of Connie and him both standing right there. "Yeah. Everything went according to plan. Just like you saw in your Future Vision."

Steven cocked his head. "How's the Greenhouse going?"

Garnet's cheerful tone didn't change. "Amethyst accidently burned it down."

Steven looked surprised. "How...do you burn down a glass building?"

Garnet shrugged. "Amethyst found a way."

Steven nodded. "I guess so. Pearl's not going to be very happy when we get back..."

Garnet nodded. "Yeah, but at least she'll have someone she won't feel uncomfortable to have comforting her in front of us now."

Pearl pulled Pink Hair close as she dry-heaved, soothingly whispering to her. "Don't worry. You're safe. I'm here."

Steven smiled and nodded. "Yeah. I guess now she does."

Garnet chuckled. "And that was all we wanted out of today."

Steven nodded, smiling and tearing up at the sight of the loving smile on Pearl's face. "Yeah. Mission accomplished."

 _ **Star Iris Out.**_


End file.
